Pelosi: House still wants gov't healthcare option

WASHINGTON, July 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives is still working to produce final healthcare legislation that will include a strong public insurance option, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday.

"The idea of having a strong public option was to have stiffer competition for the insurance companies," Pelosi told a news conference.

Pelosi said a deal with conservative Democrats had preserved the public option idea and that she was sure the full Democratic-controlled House would vote to pass sweeping healthcare reforms when it returns from a month-long break in September. (Reporting by Andrew Quinn; editing by Bill Trott)