TU: Murphy a "yes" on health care

The Albany Times Union has an exclusive with Glens Falls Democrat Scott Murphy, who’s been holding off a decision on his party’s health care reform bill this week.

Murphy — a freshman sent to the House in a special election just over a year ago, voted against the first House bill in December. This time around, he insisted he had to see the whole bill before making up his mind. He told the Times Union this version is “much more fiscally conservative.”

Murphy said the final health care package is “much more fiscally conservative” than the broader House-passed bill he opposed last November and would do a better job of reducing the explosive growth in medical costs that “our families and small businesses are facing,” while still expanding insurance coverage to roughly 32 million people.

“This bill is fundamentally different than the bill we voted on last November,” Murphy said, adding that while the measure “is not perfect,” he feels “much better” about it.

House leaders are sill counting votes in advance of the expected vote Sunday.