Health law issues take key place in run-up to congressional, Senate elections

Feb 11 2014

For instance, the Louisiana chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the group backed by the Koch brothers, made a $600,000 ad buy against Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La, because of her health law support. Meanwhile, other Democrats in tight races are trying to claim credit for trying to fix the problematic parts of the measure while still embracing its popular elements.

The Washington Post: The Koch Brothers' Group Is Getting Involved In Louisiana's Obamacare Fight 
A major opponent of Obamacare is doubling down in Louisiana ahead of the start of that state's 2014 legislative session. The state chapter of Americans for Prosperity -- the national tea party group founded by brothers Charles and David Koch -- launched on Jan. 2 and is pressing each of Louisiana's 144 lawmakers to pledge opposition to expanding Medicaid under the law. ... The chapter is targeting federal lawmakers in its anti-expansion push, too. The group launched this year with a $600,000 ad buy against Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) over her support for Obamacare (Chokshi, 2/8).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Vulnerable Democrats Try Straddle On Health Law
Hit with a multimillion-dollar barrage of televised attacks, Democrats in tough re-election races want credit for trying to fix the problematic parts of the health care law at the same time they claim bragging rights for its popular provisions and allege Republicans will reverse the crackdown on insurance company abuses. It's a tricky, high-stakes political straddle by lawmakers who voted to create the law, which Republicans intend to place at the center of their campaign to win control of the Senate and hold their House majority (2/8).

Also in the news, the fact checking continues --

The Washington Post's The Fact Checker: Durbin's Claim That 10 Million Now Have Health Insurance Because Of Obamacare
Durbin appears to be combining two figures released by the administration: more 3 million signing up for insurance through the federal healthcare.gov and state exchanges and 6.3 million deemed eligible for Medicaid. Both figures are generally October through December, and so obviously have increased since then. But there are two big problems with both numbers (Kessler, 2/10).