The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will take up a legal challenge to President Obama’s sweeping healthcare overhaul when it meets next year, ensuring that a decision would be rendered in the middle of Obama’s reelection campaign.
Twenty-six states and a handful of private groups signed on to a Florida case questioning the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature achievement. The greatest single question the court will decide is whether Congress overstepped its authority by mandating individuals purchase health care insurance by 2014.
An appeals court in Atlanta previously ruled the mandate was unconstitional. Obama’s administration expressed confidence the high court will uphold the law.
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, one million more young Americans have health insurance, women are getting mammograms and preventive services without paying an extra penny out of their own pocket and insurance companies have to spend more of your premiums on health care instead of advertising and bonuses,” White House spokesman Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement. “We know the Affordable Care Act is constitutional and are confident the Supreme Court will agree.”
Republicans who vehemently objected to the law and worked to reverse it are anxiously awaiting definitive court action.
“Throughout the debate, Senate Republicans have argued that this misguided law represents an unprecedented and unconstitutional expansion of the federal government into the daily lives of every American,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said.
A Supreme Court spokeswoman said oral arguments are scheduled for March and will last 5 1/2 hours, according to a Reuters report.
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The Supreme Court will decide Nov. 22 whether it will take up Virginia’s challenge to the law, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said late last week. Virginia’s case also asserts the insurance mandate is unconstitutional, but contains an additional element because the state passed legislation prohibiting governments and businesses from requiring an individual to purchase health insurance in response to the federal law.
It’s possible the nine justices will decide to take on the Virginia case separately, but they could also lump it in with the Florida case or let a previous court ruling stand.
A Fourth Circuit court ruled Virginia did not have the legal right to sue the federal government.
Obama’s health care law aims to provide 30 million uninsured Americans with health care. Some of the more popular components of the legislation, like allowing parents to keep children on their insurance plans until they reach 26 years of age, are already in place. But the bulk of the more controversial provisions go into affect in the coming years.
