GOP health agenda includes medical malpractice, cost concerns

The Republican House to-do list also includes action by oversight committees to investigate waivers given in regard to the health law. Meanwhile, KHN details six provisions from the sweeping measure that the GOP may seek to repeal or replace.

Politico: GOP Looks To Health Costs
Republicans are gearing up to replace President Barack Obama's health care plan, which is designed to cover 30 million people who don't have insurance. Just don't expect a package that goes nearly as far to cover the uninsured (Nather and Budoff Brown, 1/24).

CQ HealthBeat: In Malpractice Issue, Republicans Find Both Economic And Political Appeal
Perhaps nothing signifies the changing of the health care guard in Congress more than the Republicans' decision to pivot from a vote on repealing the overhaul to a debate over medical malpractice. Even before the floor votes were tallied on a Republican resolution instructing committees to start rewriting the health care law, the House Judiciary Committee held its first oversight hearing on a longtime favorite GOP issue: curbing malpractice claims (Norman, 1/21).

The Hill: Oversight Subpanel To Scrutinize Health Reform Waivers, Malpractice
The GOP freshman put in charge of a congressional Oversight subcommittee on health says he'll use his powers to investigate waivers given to businesses or individuals for any part of the new health care reform law (Pecquet, 1/23).

Kaiser Health News: Attacking The Health Law Tree, Branch By Branch
KHN staff writers Lexie Verdon, Bara Vaida and Jordan Rau give an overview on health law elements that may be subject to GOP pruning: "The Republican effort to repeal the health care law is sure to founder in the Democratic-controlled Senate, but that doesn't mean that the GOP is ending its assault on the law. House Republicans are already beginning work in committees to lop off and possibly replace some of the law's individual provisions" (Verdon, Vaida and Rau, 1/23).