To take the logic one step farther...
By bringing up immigration reform/amnesty, the only thing more unpopular than HCR, he could possibly swing a few votes by promising to let them vote against it... in exchange for a yea vote on healthcare. How’s that for a bribe? Doesn’t cost anything either, and no paper trail.
I think you are absolutely correct.
They have merged the two major issues in order to dilute opposition and enable reps to hide behind either issue.
It also coincides with the census. Don’t think they won’t figure out a way to use the census to register those new voters.
That is my worst fear.
And I think that it is very likely.