First Edition: January 9, 2015

The Associated Press: GOP Congress Moves Veto-Bait Bills On Health Care, Pipeline
In command and ready for a fight, defiant Republicans ignored two White House veto threats and advanced bills in Congress Thursday curbing President Barack Obama’s cherished health care overhaul and forcing construction on a proposed oil pipeline. The top House Democrat predicted her party would uphold both vetoes. ... [T]he House approved legislation narrowing the definition of full-time workers who must be offered employer-provided health care from those working 30 hours weekly to a 40-hour minimum. The vote was a mostly party-line 252-172 — short of the 290 needed, assuming all members voted, for the two-thirds majority required to override a veto. On both bills, GOP leaders would face uphill fights mustering the two-thirds House and Senate majorities needed to override vetoes. (1/8)

The New York Times: House Fires Shot At Health Care Law, Seeking To Alter Critical Coverage Rule
Under the health law’s mandate for employers, businesses with 50 or more employees will be required to offer health insurance to any employee who works at least 30 hours, or pay a penalty. That mandate began phasing in this month. By adjusting that threshold to 40 hours, Republicans — strongly backed by a number of business groups — said that they would re-establish the traditional 40-hour workweek and prevent businesses cutting costs from radically trimming worker hours to avoid mandatory insurance coverage. They contend that the most vulnerable workers are low-skilled and underpaid, working 30 to 35 hours a week, and now facing cuts to 29 hours so their employers do not have to insure them. (Weisman, 1/9)

Los Angeles Times: House GOP Chips Away At Obamacare, Voting To Redefine Full-Time Work
Congressional Republicans renewed their assault Thursday on the Affordable Care Act, as the House passed legislation to redefine the law's definition of full-time work, a key detail that would affect how employers must provide health benefits to workers. But Republican leaders are still grappling with how to use their new congressional majorities to fulfill the party's long-standing pledge to roll back what they call Obamacare. (Levey, 1/8)

Politico: House Starts Its Obamacare Repeal March
The House easily passed legislation Thursday afternoon changing the Affordable Care Act’s definition of a full-time workweek to 40 hours, the first step in the new Republican Congress’ plan to dismantle as much of Obamacare as it can. The House has cleared more than 50 assorted measures to repeal or roll back Obamacare, but this is the first time the House can propel legislation to a GOP-controlled Senate, potentially forcing President Barack Obama to either accept changes to his signature domestic achievement or use his veto power. (Pradhan, 1/8)

The Wall Street Journal: House Votes To Change Health Law’s Definition Of Full-Time Worker
The vote reflects the long political shadow cast by the 2010 health law, President Barack Obama’s signature achievement. Republicans have never liked the law and were able to tap into public frustration with a bumpy implementation over the past year and a half to win decisive victories in the 2014 midterm elections. With the largest Republican majority in the House since the 1920s and newly in control of the Senate, Republicans are intent on following through on their pledges to dismantle the law. (Hughes, 1/8)

USA Today: House Backs Bill Redefining Full-Time Workweek Under ACA
The Affordable Care Act requires large employers to offer health insurance to those who work at least 30 hours a week. The bill would change that threshold to 40 hours a week. "Let's restore the 40-hour workweek … that has long been understood to be the gold standard of the workweek in this country," Young said. ... Opponents said the bill would increase the number of uninsured, increase the deficit and give employers a greater incentive than they have now to cut workers hours to avoid having to pay for their health insurance. That's because there are about twice as many uninsured Americans who work around 40 hours a week than who work close to 30 hours a week. (Groppe, 1/8)

USA Today: Health Insurance May Muddle Tax Time For Some
Federal officials and private tax preparers started offering consumers tax filing help Thursday as the first tax deadline that involves health insurance looms in April. About 75% of taxpayers will only have to check a box saying they had health insurance in 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services says. Those who received subsidized coverage through the Affordable Care Act exchanges or decided not to enroll, will have to go through a more complicated process. (O'Donnell, 1/8)

Los Angeles Times: Key Republican Senators Will Join Obama In Tennessee
The Tennessee senators joining Obama for the Knoxville trip are both newly minted chairmen of Senate committees that will have a major say over the president’s domestic and foreign policy agenda. Potential legislation to change the Affordable Care Act will probably start in Lamar Alexander’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, while any efforts to curtail the president’s foreign policy in the Middle East, Cuba and elsewhere will receive tough scrutiny from Bob Corker’s Foreign Relations Committee. (Memoli, 1/8)

Los Angeles Times: California's Soaring Healthcare Costs Bode Ill For The Budget
California's budget, which bounced back after years of deficits, is now being squeezed by rising healthcare costs for the poor and for retired state workers. The mountain of medical bills threatens to undermine Gov. Jerry Brown's efforts to strengthen state finances — his central promise of the past four years. Enrollment in the state's healthcare program for the poor, known as Medi-Cal, has exploded by 50% since President Obama's signature law took effect. Although the federal government picks up most of the tab, state costs have also been growing, and faster than expected. (Megerian, 1/8)

Los Angeles Times: Los Angeles County Weighs Merger Of Health Agencies
Amid a change in top leadership at Los Angeles County, the Board of Supervisors is considering a major overhaul of the way the county provides health services to its 10 million residents. Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich wants to merge the county's public health department — which is responsible for preventing and responding to disease outbreaks, running substance abuse programs and inspecting restaurants, nursing homes and other facilities —- and a separate mental health agency with the Department of Health Services, which runs county hospitals and clinics. (Sewell, 1/8)