Politics swirl around health law provisions

With the 2012 elections in sight, some Democrats are searching for ways to roll back the individual mandate while others have hired a strategist to defend the overhaul. And the GOP's first real spending bill doesn't seem to put force behind their pledge to defund the health law.

Politico: A New Dem Threat To Health Care Law
A handful of moderate Senate Democrats are looking for ways to roll back the highly contentious individual mandate — the pillar of President Barack Obama's health care law — a sign that red-state senators are prepared to assert their independence ahead of the 2012 elections (Raju, 2/7).

The Washington Post: Health Care Law Supporters Tap Democratic Strategist To Defend It
Supporters of the new health care law have tapped a top Democratic strategist to help defend it against Republican criticism as they settle in for what many expect will be a protracted battle to shape the public's view of the law through the 2012 elections and beyond. … The initiative is being headed by Paul Tewes, a political consultant who directed field operations in key states for President Obama's campaign (Aizenman, 2/8).

Politico: GOP Hedges On Health Care Funds
House Republicans say they're all on the same page about wanting to choke off funding for President Barack Obama's health care law, but in their first real spending bill of 2011, it looks like they're leaving that priority on the cutting room floor (Nather and Sherman, 2/8).

CQ Newsroom: Taking Center Stage In Repeal Of Overhaul's 1099 Provision
All eyes are on the House as it begins the process of repealing a business tax reporting requirement in the health care law, after the Senate took a big step toward repeal last week. While proponents of the House measure (HR 4) boast leaders' support and 263 cosponsors, they lack something that could be crucial to Senate backing: a $19.2 billion offset. But with the first hearing on the issue Feb. 9 — and floor action likely pushed back until March — participants say there is plenty of time for a deal (Ethridge, 2/7).