Conservatives push for GOP alternative to health law

Conservatives put pressure on House GOP leaders to adopt their own health-care plan as an alternative to the health law. And in Kentucky, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argues on the campaign trail that if residents like their health exchange they can keep it -- even if Republicans repeal the law.

The Wall Street Journal: House Conservatives Push For GOP Health-Care Bill
After years of bashing the Affordable Care Act, conservative House Republicans are pushing for a vote on a GOP health-care plan to show they have a policy position beyond repealing the current law. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) said in January the House would vote this year on a health-care alternative. Four months later, Republican leaders are working with committee chairmen, as well as with GOP lawmakers who are also physicians, to reach a consensus on what that plan should include. Now, some lawmakers are asking to speed up the process (Peterson and Meckler, 5/28).

Politico: Steve Scalise To Push GOP Leaders On Obamacare Alternative
Rep. Steve Scalise is gearing up to put new pressure on Speaker John Boehner and other top Republican leaders to repeal Obamacare in favor of a conservative-backed health care package. Scalise (R-La.) will push for a House vote on an alternative health care plan crafted by the GOP Conference's more hard-line members during a closed-door meeting of the Republican Study Committee on Thursday (French and Bresnahan, 5/29).

The Hill: GOP Health Care Confusion
If Kentuckians like their health care exchange, can they keep it -; even if ObamaCare is repealed? Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) campaign has been arguing just that this week after the Senate minority leader said last Friday that his push for the health care law's repeal was "unconnected" to the existence of Kynect, the state's own exchange. Health care experts have widely panned McConnell's claims, with one calling him "delusional" (Jaffe and Viebeck, 5/29).

The New York Times: Democrats, To Counter G.O.P., Turn Their Focus To Local Issues For Midterms
If Republicans are trying to nationalize the 2014 midterms, tying Democrats to President Obama and his signature health care law, Democrats considered vulnerable are countering by going local, doubling down on state-specific issues that are more typically the province of Republicans. Facing a hostile national climate -; with Mr. Obama's approval rating stalled below 50 percent and that of Congress barely in double digits -; Democrats say they believe their path to victory hinges on a series of individual contests rather than a referendum on the president and his policies (Parker, 5/28).