Supreme Court to Review Health Care Law

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to review whether Congress overreached its constitutional power by passing the 2010 health care law, which would require almost every American to have health insurance.

The justices would review the decision of the only U.S. Court of Appeals to find the law unconstitutional, the 11th Circuit court in Atlanta, and likely come to a decision by next summer during the height of the presidential campaign.

So the Supreme Court’s decision could have an important political effect, especially because the law is one of the most contentious points between President Obama and his Republican presidential rivals. –BF

The Washington Post:

“Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “We believe the challenges to Affordable Care Act — like the one in the 11th Circuit — will also ultimately fail and that the Supreme Court will uphold the law.”

The suit is brought by 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Those two groups have also asked the justices to accept the case, because while the appeals court panel struck down the individual mandate for health insurance, it upheld other parts of the law.

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