Sen. Bill Nelson said he supports a public option health care plan and predicts Senate leaders will get enough support. "If there are a couple (senators) that are hanging out, the majority leader will have a prayer session with them," he said in an interview.

Nelson said he was going to meet with Sen. Harry Reid and press that the opt-out for states only kick in after a few years. As past Florida insurance commissioner, Nelson said he knows how powerful the industry can get what it wants from the Legislature.

"My concern is you don't even get the competition from a public option to begin with because the insurance lobby will lock down its votes. The people will never know in that state or not if a public option would lower their rates. You'd get a patchwork kind of effect."