The Baucus bill -- ie., the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009 -- is out. This is probably the closest of anything yet offered to what the final, passed legislation that Obama signs will look like. It certainly seems like it has the best chance of all the bills.

As expected it contains no 'public option' plan -- a new government 'Medicare' to compete with private insurers for the under-65 crowd. Instead there are provisions for nonprofit co-ops, whose look and effects are very uncertain. Of course no abortion funding. There is a "Personal Responsibility Requirement" mandating that everybody have coverage by 2013 or pay a fine, which could be up to $3,800 annually, depending on your income. You would have to report whether or not you have health coverage on your tax returns.

The bill would create an Innovation Center within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, based in Woodlawn, whose mission would be to improve patient care and control cost increases. Among its tasks: "Align nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines of cancer care with Medicare payment initiatives."

It would improve reimbursement for primary-care docs -- a critical, underappreciated piece. And on malpractice tort reform -- there is nothing except "a Sense of the Senate that health care reform presents an opportunity to address issues related to medical malpractice and medical liability insurance." Here's a copy of the bill, thanks to the WSJ.