Bachmann argues state mandate is also unconstitutional: During yesterday’s presidential forum in South Carolina, Michele Bachmann took a direct shot at Mitt Romney, saying, “I believe it is also unconstitutional for states to mandate as a condition of citizenship, that an individual would have to purchase a product or service even at the state government’s behest.” [CNN]
Promises constitutional showdown over abortion: Romney said that if he were elected president, he wouldn’t enter a showdown with the Supreme Court — which ruled in 1973 that abortion is allowed under the constitution — by passing a bill through Congress to make abortion illegal. Bachmann insisted that she would. [Huffington Post]
NYT editorial slams Perry’s health care record: “During his 11 years as governor of Texas, Mr. Perry has shown a shocking lack of concern for low- and moderate-income Texans who can’t afford health insurance or who have to struggle to keep it. His bromides about less government, more free-market and more self-reliance have neither held down costs nor made Texans healthier. Despite that record, he seems determined to carry that approach into the White House if elected.” [NYT]
WSJ defends it: “The point is that there are trade-offs between prosperity and entitlement government. The Texas economy is growing and adding jobs in part because it hasn’t adopted the economic model that Mr. Obama favors: high tax rates on the upper middle class, lots of politically directed investment, heavy unionization and a dominant government role in health care.” [WSJ]
Reaching immigrants who need health care: HHS has launched a new initiative, partnering with immigration groups to help eligible immigrants sign up for public health insurance programs. Undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible for Medicaid, but, “since 1996, legal immigrants who have been in the United States for at least five years are eligible. In addition, starting in April 2009, states have had the option of lifting the five-year residency requirement for pregnant women and children.” [Kaiser Health News]
Republican congressman challenged on Planned Parenthood vote: During a town hall meeting this weekend, Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY) was questioned about his vote to defund Planned Parenthood. A constituent asked Gibson, “I’m wondering how you can reconcile defunding Planned Parenthood with your goal of providing cost-effective health care across the country?” [North County Public Radio]
Death rate lower than expected for 9/11 workers: “Rescue and recovery workers who toiled in the dust, smoke and fumes that engulfed Lower Manhattan after Sept. 11 were less likely to have died since the terrorist attacks of 2001 than colleagues who weren’t exposed, according to new research. That also holds true for people who were exposed because they lived or worked in the area.” [NPR]
Courts slow down GOP’s anti-abortion push: In a year in which expanded Republican majorities in many states have been able to operate without the usual obstacles presented by divided government — threat of veto from a governor, split chambers or even minority opposition large enough to force compromise — “court challenges amount to the first real efforts to slow the crush of conservative legislation.” [NYT]
Hospitals are outsourcing: “Mounting cost pressures continue to push hospitals to look for savings through outsourcing. But even as hospitals are opening more functions to contractors, some are holding firm against the trend or keeping some functions sacrosanct.” [Modern Healthcare]
8 reasons not to raise the Medicare eligibility age: The institute for Emerging Ethics & Technologies’ Richard Eskow comes up with a fairly convincing case. [IEET]
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