It's clear the White House is trying hard to regain some momentum in the fight over health care reform, as critics continue to focus on the high cost of proposed changes from Democrats.

The President raised health care in both of his public events on Monday, as he touted a deal with drug makers on Medicare prescription drugs for seniors and later as he signed a tobacco bill into law.

Today a House Committee will start a series of hearings on health care, following the release of a plan by three key committee chairs last week.

Democrats also pointed to some poll numbers from over the weekend, which again showed strong support for a government health care option.

But the reality on the ground in the Congress remains dicey for Democrats, as they are the ones who aren't exactly flocking around the various proposals being floated by leaders of their own party.

The main reason most likely? The issue of a government health insurance option - also referred to as the "public plan," which continues to give Dems the heebie jeebies.

So what do the details say about the public option?

The House draft bill released last week says that the "public health insurance option--
(A) shall offer basic, enhanced, and premium plans; and
(B) may offer premium-plus plans," according to the bill's language.

There would be "geographically-adjusted" premium rates to pay for the coverage.

To get things going, the feds would give "start-up funding" to establish the public health insurance option.  How much money?

The draft actually says "$[to be specified]."

That's sort of a theme when it comes to health care reform plans from Democrats, as they have a lot of details, but the a lot of the key items have been left up in the air.

Those missing details especially include how backers intend to pay for reform (read that as new tax increases) and how Democrats intend to structure the government option and more in a Senate bill.

For example, when Democrats unveiled their plans earlier this month, they left several key sections blank in a bill offered by Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Last week when public drafting of that bill began in the Senate Health Committee, Democrats promised those details would be released quickly.

They promised details on Thursday.  On Friday.  On Monday.  And they again said maybe for Tuesday.

The funding details won't be ready until July at the earliest, raising questions as to whether or not Democrats can even get a bill through the House and Senate before an August break.

One more item on health care reform, and that is how the emerging Democratic plans deal with the benefits offered by unions to their workers.

I see lots of stuff about how unions will be "exempted" from certain provisions, and yet, when I read the actual language of these bills, I don't find anything on that.

Maybe your eyes are sharper than mine, so if you see that in the fine print, let me know.

In other words, I'm not sure it's really in there.