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Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on Tuesday said the Senate is likely to vote on a series of measures to pick apart the Affordable Care Act starting next year, but pointed to a pending court case as the best opportunity to disassemble President Barack Obama’s signature health-care law. “Who may ultimately take it down is the Supreme Court of the United States,” Mr. McConnell said at The Wall Street Journal CEO Council annual meeting. “If that were to be the case, I would assume that you could have a mulligan here, a major do-over of the whole thing–that opportunity presented to us by the Supreme Court, as opposed to actually getting the president to sign a full repeal which is not likely to happen.” (Sparshott, 12/2)

The senior Senate Republican on Tuesday raised the possibility of Congress writing comprehensive healthcare legislation if the Supreme Court next year strikes down a subsidy provision of Obamacare. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who will lead the chamber starting in January, told reporters: "If the court would rule the way they might, we could be in a very large comprehensive revisitation" of U.S. healthcare policy. (12/2)

As House Republicans mull another round of fiscal brinkmanship with President Obama, a dark cloud is threatening to return to otherwise clearing economic skies: fiscal and political uncertainty. ... On March 28, unless lawmakers act, physician reimbursements from Medicare drop off a cliff. ... Then on Sept. 30, the entire Children’s Health Insurance Program faces its expiration. A few days later, across-the-board spending cuts loom once again. (Weisman, 12/2)

The 113th Congress is almost certain to wrap up without action on comprehensive mental health legislation, but the sponsor of a bipartisan House bill is pledging to “revise and revive” his proposal next year. Pennsylvania Republican Tim Murphy said he is reviewing the wide-reaching measure (HR 3717) to see what needs to be clarified after getting feedback from lawmakers, families and professionals. The goal is to introduce an updated version early next year, he said. (Attias, 12/2)

Congress is poised to allow Americans with disabilities to open tax-sheltered bank accounts to pay for certain long-term expenses — the broadest legislation to help the disabled in a quarter-century. The House was set to vote Wednesday on the bill, called the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, which stands out in a bitterly divided Congress for its wide-ranging support. First introduced in 2006, the legislation now lists an overwhelming 85 percent of Congress as co-sponsors, even after a conservative group criticized it as "decisive step in expanding the welfare state. " (Yen, 12/3)