Shrugging off action in the Senate Finance Committee on a public insurance option, Democratic leaders in the House made clear yesterday that they are still moving forward on health reform, even if they weren't being specific about when they would reach a final deal.

There had been talk that Democrats in the House could unveil the language of a health reform bill as early as this week, but reading between the lines on Tuesday, that didn't seem like something you would want to bet on.

"It is hard work, but we are determined to get it done and we believe that we will get it done in the foreseeable future and we will bring a bill to the floor, as I said earlier today, when we are ready," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

As Hoyer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi briefed reporters, the Senate Finance Committee was rejecting the idea of a public health insurance option in the Senate bill.

If Pelosi was at all worried, she wasn't showing it to reporters.

"Four of the five committees have a public option," the Speaker said flatly. 

"We are building consensus now, and I am confident that as we go forward in the House we will reach a strong consensus with a bill that lowers cost, improves quality, expands coverage and retains the choice that people value now."

Democrats have been meeting extensively in recent weeks behind closed doors to build health care reform consensus, trying to slowly but surely build their way to a 218 vote simple majority in the House.

And for Pelosi, that means a public health insurance option.

"A public option lowers costs significantly," she said.  "So I believe that we will have a public option in our bill as we go forward."

But the same ole problem is still around.  Liberals like the public option and moderate Democrats like the Blue Dogs do not.

We certainly saw that yesterday in the Senate Finance Committee, when two versions of a public option amendment lost.

So are these votes a hint about the future for health care reform?  Will the public option get spiked?  Leading Democrats in the House still say no.

Sooner or later though, they'll have to put their cards on the table.