Some House Republicans see health law as prime spot for deep budget cuts

Even as GOP lawmakers advance their strategies, Dems see a plan of their own — they plan to cast Republicans as trying to take away patients' rights. Meanwhile, physicians take to the Hill to press for medical liability reforms, with lots of lobbying money streaming in.

Politico: House Conservatives Ready To Cut
It's finally slash-and-burn time for conservatives, and the programs they target in a massive spending bill next week will help shape the national political debate over what the government can, and should, pay for. ... The most conservative faction in the House, the Republican Study Committee, already is preparing amendments that would choke off funding for President Barack Obama's new health care law, cut domestic programs by $100 billion and force the government to pay creditors before funding other priorities if the limit on the national debt is hit (Allen and Sherman, 2/7).

Roll Call: Democrats Hope To Find Health Care Footing
After struggling to defend health care reform for much of the past two years, Senate Democrats are growing confident that they've finally hit on a unifying formula: Attack Republicans for trying to take patients' rights away and use the GOP's own lines against them (Dennis, 2/7).

Roll Call: Doctors Come To Press Congress On Medical Malpractice
Lawmakers and their staffers next week will get an earful about the ailments facing the medical profession as more than 500 members of the American Medical Association arrive in Washington, D.C., for their annual National Advocacy Conference (Roth, 2/4).

The Washington Post: Health-Related Money Continues To Flow To Members Of Congress
A two-term Republican from a rural district in Tennessee, Rep. Phil Roe, became a magnet during the last election for more than $90,000 in contributions from medical professionals from across the country, including thousands of dollars from political action committees representing ear and foot doctors in October and November (Smith, 2/6).