Iuly4, 2012
Court Upholds Obama Health Law
(AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld virtually all
of President Barack Obama's historic health care overhaul,
including the hotly debated core requirement that nearly every
American have health insurance.
The 5-4 decision meant the huge overhaul, still taking effect,
could proceed and pick up momentum over the next several
years, affecting the way that countless Americans receive and
pay for their personal medical care.
The ruling hands Obama a campaign-season victory in reject
ing arguments that Congress went too far in approving the plan.
However, Republicans quickly indicated they will try to use the
decision to rally their supporters against what they call
"Obamacare," arguing that the ruling characterized the penalty
against people who refuse to get insurance as a tax.
Breaking with the court's other conservative justices, Chief
Justice John Roberts announced the judgment that allows the
law to go forward with its aim of covering more than 30 million
uninsured Americans. Roberts explained at length the court's
view of the mandate as a valid exercise of Congress' authority
to "lay and collect taxes." The administration estimates that
roughly 4 million people will pay the penalty rather than buy
insurance.
Even though Congress called it a penalty, not a tax, Roberts
said, "The payment is collected solely by the IRS through the
normal means of taxation."
The court found problems with the law's expansion of Med
icaid, but even there said the expansion could proceed as long
as the federal government does not threaten to withhold states'
entire Medicaid allotment if they don't take part in the law's Supporters o f President Barack Obama's health care law celebrate outside the Supreme Court in Washing
extension.
ton, D.C., Thursday, after the court's ruling in favor o f the law. (AP photo)
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The Red Cross blood supply has
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The need is constant. Every
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