[NYAPRS Enews] MSNBC: Supreme Court Will Hear Obamacare Case

[Harvey Rosenthal]

Supreme Court Will Hear Health Care Case 

Case could be the court's most significant and political undertaking in
more than a decade 

MSNBC   November 14, 2011

 

The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over
President Barack Obama's main domestic achievement, health care
overhaul, setting up an election year showdown. 

The decision to hear arguments in the spring allows plenty of time for a
decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day.

"Earlier this year, the Obama Administration asked the Supreme Court to
consider legal challenges to the health reform law and we are pleased
the Court has agreed to hear this case," White House communications
director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement reacting to the court's
decision. "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. We know the Affordable
Care Act is constitutional and are confident the Supreme Court will
agree."

High Court and health reform: A guide
<http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/11/8758839-the-supreme-cou
rt-and-health-reform-a-guide>  

The health care case could be the high court's most significant and
political undertaking since the 5-4 decision in Bush v. Gore nearly 11
years ago. That ruling effectively sealed George W. Bush's 2000
presidential election victory. 

Story: Appeals court upholds Obama health care law
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45208152/ns/politics-more_politics/t/appeal
s-court-upholds-obama-health-care-law/> 

Already, the court has scheduled a remarkable five and a half hours for
oral arguments in the case, a date for which has not been set.
Indications, though, point toward late February or early March for the
historic arguments. 

The court will hear two hours' worth of arguments about the so-called
"individual mandate," a linchpin of the law which requires individuals
to have health insurance or face a penalty. It's this provision which
conservatives find most odious; a similar provision was contained in the
health care law Mitt Romney signed as governor of Massachusetts. 

The court will also evaluate both the provision's constitutionality and
whether the overall health care law can still stand even if that
provision doesn't. 

Other portions of the oral arguments will regard the law's new Medicaid
requirements for states, and whether it is even proper for courts to
hear challenges to the law, considering its mandates do not take effect
until 2014.Republicans have called the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act unconstitutional since before Obama signed it into law in March
2010. But federal appeals courts have been split on their assessment. 

NBC's Pete Williams contribued to this report.

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