Reconciliation is the Only Option

"If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate," Boehner and Cantor wrote.
Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward in a bipartisan way, does that mean he has taken off the table the idea of relying solely on Democratic votes and jamming through health care reform by way of reconciliation? As the President has noted recently, Democrats continue to hold large majorities in the House and Senate, which means they can attempt to pass a health care bill at any time through the reconciliation process. Eliminating the possibility of reconciliation would represent an important show of good faith to Republicans and the American people.
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH)
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)

Robert Gibbs responded for the President
"The President looks forward to reviewing Republican proposals that meet the goals he laid out at the beginning of this process, and as recently as the State of the Union Address. He's open to including any good ideas that stand up to objective scrutiny. What he will not do, however, is walk away from reform and the millions of American families and small business counting on it. The recent news that a major insurer plans to raise premiums for some customers by as much as 39 percent is a stark reminder of the consequences of doing nothing."
By Michael D. Shear, Washington Post

May I suggest an alternative?
If we must pass a universal health plan by reconciliation, we might join the other industrial nations in single payer. H.R. 676 seems to be a reasonable start. It may be administered through the existing Medicare framework.
To bring costs into line with the European experience, I suggest an across-the-board reduction of forty percent for the health industry. This would include all premiums, fees, salaries, charges, prices and rentals.
Coverage of the new plan should include all US citizens resident in the country. No citizen should be denied health care.
Legislators who voted against health care reform should be tried for involuntary manslaughter of victims who died lacking proper health coverage.