TAMPA, FL -- Weighing in at 230 pages is the Republican plan for health care reform.
The first major difference between it and the Democratic house bill is its length. The Democratic bill is 1990 pages, but length is hardly the only difference.
"It does not raise taxes on the middle class, it does not raise taxes period," says Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).
Bilirakis says the GOP bill will allow people to pool together for cheaper rates and to shop for insurance across state lines.
It won't require anyone to have insurance, it won't expand Medicaid, and it won't allow illegal immigrants to get coverage.
"From what we can see it doesn't do anything to address two of the real Americans issues with the health care crisis right now and that's affordability and covering the uninsured," says Chrystal Hutchison with the Florida Consumer Action Network.
Consumer groups are already criticizing the bill for what it lacks.
It does not explicitly prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, or using gender to set rates. It also doesn't address plan portability, or keeping your insurance when you change jobs.
Those are key consumer protections in the democratic version which Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) supports.
"We want to ensure those families that have had some diagnosis like cancer or a heart ailment that they can get insurance," she says.
"I am for those things, no one should be penalized for pre-existing conditions," Bilirakis says. He adds those items could be added as his party's bill is still a work in progress, but he likes where it's headed.
