The Labor Department released its jobs report this morning, finding that unemployment remains stagnant at 9.1 percent. The economy added 103,000 net new jobs in September, 45K of which were striking Verizon workers returning to work. As BenefitsPro reported this week, a record one-third of the unemployed have been without a job for a year or more.

Top health care reform story this week

SCOTUS back in session. The Supreme Court began its new term on Monday. Last week, the Obama administration expedited a decision on the fate of "Obamacare" by asking the Supreme Court to take up the challenges to the new health law, virtually guaranteeing that a decision will be issued next summer just as the presidential campaigns are in full swing. CNN's Aaron Carroll predicts that the case will be decided by a 5-4 decision, with Justice Anthony Kennedy providing the swing vote either to uphold or strike down the individual mandate. Politico explores the possible outcomes to PPACA if the mandate is struck down, pointing out the pitfalls of providing universal coverage without the "universal financing" that the individual mandate provides. Bloomberg notes that if the Supreme Court kills PPACA, it's likely to remain dead for a while. It's been 17 years since the Clinton administration's failed attempt to provide universal health care.