Republicans to keep focus on ObamaCare repeal if law upheld by court

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Boehner: No 'spiking' the ObamaCare football

House speaker tells party members not to gloat if the Supreme Court strikes down Obama's health care reform law, but what's the real message?

Even if the Supreme Court upholds the federal health care overhaul, Republicans are vowing to fight for its repeal.

Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in the party's weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, rallied GOP lawmakers to sustain the fight against the law if any of it is left on the table following a landmark ruling expected as early as Monday.

"Unless the court throws out the entire law, we should repeal what is left and implement common sense step-by-step reforms that protect Americans' access to the care they need from the doctor they choose at the lowest cost," Cassidy said.

Cassidy claimed the law is hurting job growth, "making it harder for small businesses to hire workers" by driving up health care costs.

"The only way to change this is by repealing ObamaCare entirely," he said.

Cassidy's address is the latest entry in a sustained effort by both parties to telegraph a post-ruling game-plan to the rank-and-file.

Earlier in the week, House Speaker John Boehner circulated a memo telling members "there will be no spiking of the ball" if the law is struck down.

Boehner called for pursuing step-by-step reforms. Cassidy, too, said Republicans would pursue a replacement law whether or not the Supreme Court upholds the overhaul.

He complained that the law has not curbed the rise in health care costs, and called for a plan to achieve that.

Democrats issued a memo of their own this past week, pointing out that several popular provisions of the bill, such as the prohibition on lifetime coverage limits and the ability for young people to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26, are already in effect.

President Obama, speaking Friday to an audience of Latino officials in Florida, also defended the law -- saying it was "wrong" to allow insurance companies to raise premiums at will and "right" to make health care available to all Americans.

"That was the right thing to do," the president said.