News outlets report Republican lawmakers' conflicting views as they wait for the Supreme Court's decision on its constitutionality. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports that the fate of the nation's "uninsurables" is tied to what the justices decide.

The general election TV ad released by GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's campaign touts the candidates first-day plan to "move to replace" the health law with "common sense health reform." Also in the news, President Barack Obama's campaign rebuts an attack ad by Crossroads GPS.

The doctors' group says the federal rule could have a "devastating impact on public health" by impeding state regulation. Other legal cases in today's news include a dentist in trouble in Florida and a deal on mental health care in Arizona.

The St. Louis Beacon reports that the legislature might take up a bill Friday that strips controversial provisions passed by the House earlier in the week.

The Massachusetts Senate passed a health care cost containment bill Thursday that aims to cut costs by $150 billion over 15 years. The bill, which now goes to the Massachusetts House, would eventually align cost growth with gross state product, would move toward paying for health care with global payments and would change the state's medical malpractice lawsuit system.

Criticism about Health and Human Services Sec. Kathleen Sebelius' appearance at the Jesuit institution has mounted this week because of her role in the Obama administration's rule on contraception requirements in the health care law.

State lawmakers in North Carolina and California consider cuts to health and welfare programs, including children's health care. In Kansas, legislation to require insurers to cover autism disorders fails to advance.

The Food and Drug Administration's go-ahead will give patients who have to take blood thinners more options.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner offered a broad-based criticism of the Republican economic agenda.

A selection of health policy stories from New York, Kentucky, Texas, Connecticut and California.

A selection of editorials and opinions on health care policy from around the country.

Chicago-based Accretive Health calls for national standards on bill collection practices, as the American Hospital Association reports recent updates to its 2003 guidelines on the topic.

Take a look at KHN's lighter side, featuring today's cartoon and health policy haiku.

In other news, Partners HealthCare hopes to replace its patchwork approach to electronic health records with a single commercial system.

This week's selections come from the Annals of Family Medicine, the Urban Institute, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Rand Corp.

The Department for Health and Human Services released guidelines detailing the requirements states must meet in their proposals if they want to gain federal approval to operate these insurance markets.

If the law is upheld, Republicans plan to take to the floor to "tear out" the law's most controversial provisions, Politico reports. Meanwhile, in related news, Reuters reports on the questionable fate of lesser known, but still controversial, aspects of the health law -- billions of dollars in new taxes.

The Associated Press reports on this trend.

News outlets report on the details of the ad campaign, which is being paid for by Crossroads GPS, and also provide fact checking regarding some of its assertions.

But The Associated Press reports that shareholders rejected the call for more disclosure about the insurers' contributions.