The IRS gears up for health law tasks; Messages for coverage expansion campaigns are fine-tuned

News outlets report on the moving parts involved in the next phase of the health law's implementation. Meanwhile, legislators consider what the sweeping measure might mean for their states.

Politico: Can The IRS Handle Obamacare?
Now that the health care law's future is finally secure, it's up to the Internal Revenue Service to make sure the money flows. ... The agency is charged with shouldering some of the law's most nitty-gritty technical details, from making sure Americans receive the insurance premium tax credits they're eligible for, to incorporating more than 40 changes to the Tax Code, to collecting penalties from individuals and businesses that fail to meet the law's insurance requirements (Cunningham, 11/20).

CQ HealthBeat: Enroll America Gears Up For Coverage Expansion Effort
Those spearheading a broad-based, privately funded educational campaign to enroll the uninsured in health plans as part of the health care overhaul are in the closing stages of pinpointing what messages they will use and which audiences the effort will target. The campaign's goal is to fully develop its strategy by year's end and to launch in mid-2013, in time for the Oct. 1 start of the open enrollment period in the new state insurance exchanges (Reichard, 11/19).

The Associated Press: Indiana Legislative Leaders Ponder Health Costs
Indiana's top lawmakers said Monday they're not sure what to expect from the federal health care law other than greater costs at a time the state's budget is already stretched thin. Republican Senate President Pro Tem David Long said the state no doubt would have to absorb some hidden expenses, even if the federal government sets up Indiana's online exchange allowing consumers and businesses to shop for insurance. That coupled with a potential Medicaid expansion could make the law a long-term burden on Indiana taxpayers, he said (LoBianco, 11/19).