Health Care Reform Goes before the Supreme Court

Health Care Reform, hailed as Obama's greates achievement, will be the topic for discussion today, Monday March 26, 2012, in the United States Supreme Court. The issues concerning the law will be argued from three viewpoints: (1) governments 26 States, majority of whom have Republican Governers, and (2) the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), nonprofit small business association representing small and independent businesses, against (3) the Justice Department.

The main argument of the State governments and NHIB will be whether it is constitutional to require all Americans to buy Health Insurance. The Justice Department will defend the law arguing it is well within Congress power since this is a way of regulating interstate commerce.

Other issues to be diuscussed include:

• If the Supreme Court has the power to rule on this law when all portions, especially the one being discussed has not yet been implemented/enforced.
• What other parts of the law are unconstitutional.
• If the mandate is removed should the law or parts of it still remain. (covering pre-existing conditions, lifetime caps, Medicaid for all low-income individuals)
• What power does the Supreme Court have over parts of the law that are not unonstitutional.
• Whether States are being coerced into abiding by the requirement that Medicaid be provided to all Low-income families in order to receive grants.

The court is not expected to rule on these matters until June, 2012.