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Repealing the law “root and branch” is probably out of the question, the chamber’s parliamentarian is hinting, because some parts of Obamacare don’t affect the federal budget. That’s a must in order to use the obscure procedure known in Senate parlance as reconciliation, which allows lawmakers to avoid the 60-vote filibuster hurdle and pass bills on a simple majority vote. That’s not the GOP’s only problem. Under those rules any Obamacare repeal has to reduce — not increase — the deficit. So Republicans will have to pick and choose which parts of the Affordable Care Act they most want to ditch. (Bade and Haberkorn, 6/1)

Republicans have spent months cobbling together a handful of plans to quell the fallout of a potential Supreme Court ruling that would strike down federal subsidies to millions of Obamacare enrollees living in the 34 states that rely on HealthCare.gov. However, a new report says by eliminating the very foundation upon which Obamacare was built -- the individual and employer mandates -- two of the GOP contingency plans will wreak havoc with the insurance industry that undergirds all health plans, private and public. (Ehley, 5/29)

Would a new Congressional bill designed to jumpstart medical innovation lower standards for approving new uses of existing medicines? Consumer advocates are raising this concern about the 21st Century Cures legislation, which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously last week and, in part, is designed to reform the approval process for drugs. Supporters say the bill is a long overdue move that, among other things, will give the FDA the tools to ensure treatments reach patients faster. (Silverman, 5/29)