Morning CheckUp: March 30, 2012

Obamacare Decision Puts Roberts In Spotlight: “If there was any doubt beforehand, three momentous days of argument this week established that the health-care ruling is sure to be a defining moment for the Supreme Court—and a crucible for Chief Justice John Roberts.” [Wall Street Journal]

House Republican Rips ‘Drastic’ Medicare Cuts In Ryan Budget: “Rep. David McKinley (R-W. Va.) slammed the Medicare cuts in House Republicans’ budget resolution Thursday, saying he couldn’t support the plan because it cut Medicare but still would not balance the budget. McKinley was one of 10 Republicans to vote against Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget proposal, which passed the House 228-191.” [The Hill]

Would Overturning Obamacare Lead To Single Payer?:“With health-care reform either repealed or overturned, both Democrats and Republicans shy away from proposing any big changes to the health-care system for the next decade or so. [...] Eventually, we end up with something close to a single-payer system, as a majority of Americans — and particularly a majority of Americans who have significant health risks — are covered by the government.” [Ezra Klein]

Defunding Women’s Health Care Could Force Texas Clinics To Close: “A rural clinic director…is bracing herself for the possibility that she’ll have to close all of her family planning clinics for good, a situation many similar community health agencies now face. And with a clientele that’s very young and very poor, the director knows exactly what that closing her clinics will mean: ‘These women just won’t be seen. They’ll get pregnant or be sick.’” [Dallas Observer]

Europe Also Wrestles With Health Care Reform: “Several European nations, where universal health care has been the norm for decades, have been waging their own intense debates as they also deal with aging populations and rising costs.” [NPR]