Fla. judge strikes down Obama health care overhaul-washingtonpost.com

Fla. judge strikes down Obama health care overhaul-washingtonpost.com: A federal judge ruled Monday that the Obama administration's health care overhaul is unconstitutional, siding with 26 states that sued to block it. U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson accepted without trial the states' argument that the new law violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties.

Health Clash Senate Bound-wsj.com

Health Clash Senate Bound-wsj.com: Top senators in both parties said Sunday that Republicans could push their way to a Senate vote on repealing the health overhaul, setting up another clash over the Democrats' landmark legislative achievement.

State of Union Near, Republicans Draw Line on Spending-nytimes.com

State of Union Near, Republicans Draw Line on Spending-nytimes.com: Congressional Republicans, seeking to recapture the debate over the country’s economic recovery in advance of President Obama’s State of the Union address, warned Sunday that they would oppose any new spending initiatives and press ahead with their plans for budget cuts in every realm of government, including the military.

Senate makes headway on reforms-politico.com

Senate makes headway on reforms-politico.com: There’s no deal yet on how to change Senate filibuster rules, but Democrats and Republicans are finding common ground in two other areas: ending the practice of so-called secret holds and smoothing the way for presidential nominees.

House GOP group proposes deep spending cuts over next decade-washingtonpost.com:

House GOP group proposes deep spending cuts over next decade-washingtonpost.com: Congressional conservatives on Thursday demanded far more dramatic reductions in government spending than House GOP leaders have recently proposed, in the first sign of a fissure between old-guard Republicans and tea-party-backed newcomers.

Health care: Now comes the hard part-politico.com:

Health care: Now comes the hard part-politico.com:
House Republicans took their first major step toward repealing the health care overhaul that has dominated the American political landscape for almost two years, voting unanimously Wednesday to roll back the law.

But now, the GOP’s real work begins.

House passes health law repeal-politico.com

House passes health law repeal-politico.com: House Republicans passed a bill to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care plan Wednesday, taking their first major step toward rolling back the massive overhaul that has dominated the American political landscape for almost two years.

Obama Launches Regulatory Review, Pledging to Spur Jobs, Growth-wsj.com

Obama Launches Regulatory Review, Pledging to Spur Jobs, Growth-wsj.com: President Barack Obama plans a government-wide review of federal regulations, aiming to eliminate rules that stymie economic growth.

House Launches Health-Law Challenge-wsj.com

House Launches Health-Law Challenge-wsj.com: Republicans in the House will press efforts to overturn the health-care overhaul this week in a vote that is largely symbolic but could kick-start substantive changes to provisions at the law's core.

White House 'open' to GOP suggestions to improve health law-washingtonpost.com

White House 'open' to GOP suggestions to improve health law-washingtonpost.com: The White House is continuing what it started after the November elections: a determined effort to reach out to congressional Republicans and reduce the partisan divide in Washington.

Democrats seek redo of health care pitch-politico.com

Democrats seek redo of health care pitch-politico.com: Supporters of health care reform are hoping to use the GOP repeal effort this week to defend and explain the law, using a unified voice and a personal touch.

House GOP to resume health-care repeal effort, but with more civil tone-washingtonpost.com

House GOP to resume health-care repeal effort, but with more civil tone-washingtonpost.com: House Republican leaders said Thursday that they will begin their effort to repeal the new health-care law next week, a return to normal legislative business after the shootings in Arizona suspended activity on Capitol Hill.

Investors see health reform's potential-politico.com

Investors see health reform's potential-politico.com: As Republicans push forward on repealing health reform, planning the law’s demise, a different conversation is happening among thousands of health care investors gathered in San Francisco for this week’s J.P Morgan Health Care Conference: how to capitalize on health reform’s new business opportunities.

Poll: Health care reform is Barack Obama's best and worst-politico.com

Poll: Health care reform is Barack Obama's best and worst-politico.com: Americans are so evenly divided over health care that nearly identical percentages say reform is President Barack Obama’s greatest accomplishment and his worst one since taking office, according to a new poll

Tragedy may soften health debate-politico.com

Tragedy may soften health debate-politico.com: When the House returns to the debate over repealing health care reform, the rhetoric most likely will be softer — but the lines of division are expected to be as hard as ever.

CMS Releases Value-Based Purchasing Plan-HealthLeadersMedia.com

CMS Releases Value-Based Purchasing Plan-HealthLeadersMedia.com: Federal officials have issued a long-awaited proposal on how they will make value-based purchasing incentives. The document sets forth which metrics will generate payment after Oct. 1, 2012.

Calfornia Governor Unveils Tight Spending Plan-wsj.com

Calfornia Governor Unveils Tight Spending Plan-wsj.com: California Gov. Jerry Brown proposed Monday to close the state's $25 billion budget shortfall by making steep service cuts and by asking voters to extend temporary increases on sales and income taxes by five years.

7 Democrats off Way & Means Committee-politico.com

7 Democrats off Way & Means Committee-politico.com: Rep. Allyson Schwartz has lost her spot on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and tax issues, as did four other junior Democrats who now find themselves adrift in the new GOP-controlled House...The other Democrats who lost their seats on the committee include Reps. Danny Davis (Ill.), Linda Sanchez (Calif.), Brian Higgins (N.Y.) and John Yarmuth (Ky.)...As expected, Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) assumes the chairmanship of the health subcommittee, and is joined by new committee members Jim Gerlach (R-Penn) and Tom Price (R-Ga.), an orthopedic surgeon... Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), a thoracic surgeon, is taking the helm of the Oversight subcommittee.

FDA Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein to resign-wsj.com

FDA Deputy Commissioner Sharfstein to resign-wsj.com: The Food and Drug Administration's No. 2 official is leaving the agency after a busy 21-month tenure that included clashes with drug and device makers over tougher regulation.

States grapple with health care-politico.com

States grapple with health care-politico.com: As House Republicans revive debates of the past with the planned repeal vote on health care reform, their state-level counterparts are quietly pushing into health reform’s future.

112th Congress convenes at noon-washingtonpost.com

112th Congress covenes at noon-washingtonpost.com: Day 1 of the 112th Congress began with prayers and lots of promises: to rein in the federal government, to repeal health care, to fix the economy, to work together--or not.

House sets Jan. 12 vote on repeal of health-care law-washingtonpost.com

House sets Jan. 12 vote on repeal of health-care law-washingtonpost.com: House Republicans have set Jan. 12 as their day to vote on a repeal of President Obama's health-care law, after a midterm election in which they campaigned against the landmark legislation as a government takeover of the health industry.