Post-SCOTUS scenario: Could health law-created jobs go away?

Apr 19 2012

News coverage and Republicans are noting the number and type of jobs that have been added to the federal payroll as part of the health law. 

Politico: Jobs, Funding Related To Health Care Law At Risk
If the Supreme Court pulls the plug on health reform, winding it down could be almost as contentious as building it up in the first place. ... It's likely that some in the health reform workforce would get reabsorbed into other Health and Human Services offices, where a number worked prior to the health law's passage two years ago. But some could end up without a job -; and without their health benefits (Feder, 4/17).

The Hill: GOP Slams Federal Jobs Created To Implement Obama's Health Law
Republicans argued Tuesday that the Obama administration has hired droves of new bureaucrats to implement the administration's healthcare reform law. The Joint Economic Committee, led by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), said Tuesday that the Health and Human Services Department has swelled because of "ObamaCare." Employment at HHS has grown by 11 percent under President Obama, the JEC said (Baker, 4/17).

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, there is continued scrutiny of the White House's communications strategy:   

Politico Pro: GOP Moves Ahead On ACA Messaging Probe
Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee said Tuesday that the White House messaging strategy behind the health care reform law is more expansive than publicly known and most of the law was crafted behind closed doors. ... The memo is a sign that Republicans hope to keep the storylines of White House-industry collaboration and secret negotiations alive -; and keep reminding the public about it -; as an election-year theme (Haberkorn, 4/17).