Finally

According to CNN, the Blue Dogs have struck a deal with the other 206 Democrats in the House of Representatives that support health care reform.

Presumably, the bill still features a robust public insurance option, but has found ways to identify additional savings (I would expect by lowering the subsidy qualifier ... the initial proposal offered a graduated scale for subsidies to families making up to 400 percent of the poverty threshold). The bill should come out of committee by the end of the week and up for a vote when Congress returns from an August recess.

It's not ideal in terms of timetable, but it signals a breakthrough. Despite the lousy news regarding the coming bill from the Senate Finance Committee, we can assume that a total of six committees will submit health care reform proposals and five of them will feature a public option.