Speaker John Boehner recently told Republicans in a private meeting to change their tone on health care and fast: stop using job-killing to describe the Obama health care law.

Instead, emphasize that the law drives up costs and makes things worse for small businesses.

Why? The job-killing message was polling poorly, sources said.

The episode underscores both the GOPs recognition that it needs to be ready to respond to the Supreme Courts looming decision on the health care law and the delicacy with which Republicans must fashion that response.

Theres no time to waste: GOP leaders plan to bookend July with a weeklong debate on health care after the court releases its ruling in late June and a tax-cut fight at the end of the month.

The strategy the finalization of months of deliberations by GOP leaders over whether to rebut Obama on health care and tax cuts before the summer break comes at a time when many rank-and-file Republicans are grumbling that they dont have much to show for the last year and a half in Washington.

So Republican leaders wanted to give their members a platform to frame their side of the political debate as the campaign season heats up with the added bonus of giving fuel to tea party Republicans as well as the tax-minded establishment. It also lays markers on taxes and health care, which will be key in the lame-duck session of Congress and beyond.

These are the fights going into the election, one GOP aide told POLITICO.

The message: This is the Republican position on taxes and health care. Weve got a plan, and we can execute it.

But GOP insiders insist they havent finalized that plan quite yet an acknowledgment of the tricky task of putting together a health care response that satisfies both moderates and conservatives and comports to a yet-unknown Supreme Court ruling.

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GOP adjusts health care strategy