The long-term view: GOP hopes for scaled-back health plan; Dems see health care second-chance

News outlets report on the big-picture health policy goals of both parties. Republicans see the repeal effort as stretching far beyond today's House vote while the stretch of time may help Democrats.

The Boston Globe: Ultimate GOP Aim Is A Slimmer Health Plan
Republicans are already looking at an alternative course. They are scheduling hearings to grapple with reforming the medical malpractice insurance system — long a key goal of the GOP but something Democrats left out of last year's landmark health overhaul measure. They are likely to seek repeal of some specific provisions, such as a new tax on medical devices, a levy that has drawn fire from Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. That 2.3% tax is expected to raise $20 billion over 10 years (Viser and Arsenault, 1/19).

Bloomberg: Republicans' Health-Care Vote Opens Two-Year Campaign To Undermine Law
With a symbolic vote to repeal President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul, the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is starting a two-year campaign to undermine the law through piecemeal dismantling tactics and efforts to weaken public support. The House plans today to pass legislation that would roll back the law, fulfilling Republican campaign promises. Democrats, who control the Senate, say that they will block a repeal effort in that chamber — and that, in any case, Obama will veto it (Lerer and Armstrong, 1/19).

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: In Preparation For Health Care Repeal Vote, Both Sides Paint Picture Of Consequences
As the new Republican-led House prepared for an expected Wednesday vote aimed at repealing President Barack Obama's signature health reform legislation, supporters and opponents scrambled to show the potential consequences of stopping the controversial legislation — or not. Congressional Democrats and the Obama Administration say repealing the law they championed would put 4.3 million Georgians with pre-existing medical conditions in jeopardy of losing their insurance (Keefe and Williams, 1/18).

Politico: On Reform, Time May Be On Dems' Side
Despite the millions spent on advertising, countless town halls and a reinvigorated debate over the new health law, neither party has accomplished the key goal: swaying public opinion on health reform (Kliff and Budoff Brown, 1/19).

National Journal: With GOP Repeal Effort, Democrats See Chance For A Do-Over On Health Care
Democrats doggedly pursued and proudly passed a large-scale reform of the nation's health insurance system in 2010, only to take a drubbing at the polls last November. But now, in the face of Republican efforts to repeal the law, Democrats see an opportunity to take advantage of a "do-over" with their salesmanship to the public (Terris, 1/19).