Fact-checking claims, questions in the continuing overhaul debate

News outlets review some of the health law's policy specifics and ask questions about specific components, such as how the law's prevention fund is faring.  

NPR: With A New Congress, It's High Time For Some Health Overhaul Facts
With the debate over health overhaul back in full force, we figured it's time to take another look at some of the claims being thrown around by Republicans and Democrats about the effect of the law and what might happen if it's repealed (Rovner, 1/6).

CQ HealthBeat: Whither The Overhaul Law's Prevention Fund?
To critics, it's a waste of taxpayer money, a "slush fund" politicians can tap into to throw precious taxpayer dollars at ill-defined local projects. To public health officials, however, the $15 billion the overhaul law allots over 10 years to ward off disease is an essential investment in maintaining basic public health functions and in improving the physical and mental well-being of an increasingly sickly population. Public health lobbyists are determined to protect the fund — and it looks like they'll have their work cut out for them. Senate Republicans already have attempted to zero the fund out and use the savings to offset the legislative costs of repealing the controversial "1099" provisions of the overhaul law that small businesses say will crush them with paperwork (Reichard, 1/6).