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Health care challenge

March 26, 2012

The top US court has begun hearing a constitutional challenge to health care reform. More than half of the country's states have filed the legal challenge, but the court isn't sure it has jurisdiction.

https://p.dw.com/p/14Sa9
Representatives with Protect Your Care, Families USA, Health Care for America Now, and the Center for American Progress, who support President Obama's health care plan, rally outside the Supreme Court as the justices hear oral arguments on cases related to health care reform law in Washington, DC, USA, 26 March 2012. Passing a major reform of the US health insurance system was President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement, the culmination of decades of efforts by centre-left Democrats to change the system.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

The US Supreme Court has held a first of three days of hearings on whether President Barack Obama's health care reform is constitutional.

Twenty-six of the 50 US states have challenged the legislation, which President Obama signed into law two years ago.

The law represents the biggest reform to the US safety net in more than four decades and would extend health coverage to more than 30 million Americans.

Among other things, it would forbid insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions and impose a limit on how much they can charge the older policy holders.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the court in Washington DC to demonstrate for or against the Affordable Care Act.

The nine justices began by hearing arguments about whether or not the court actually has jurisdiction on the issue.

Tuesday has been set aside for arguments on a provision of the legislation know as the "individual mandate," which would require all Americans to buy heath insurance or face a fine, beginning in 2014.

The states that are challenging the law argue that the government doesn't have the power to force individuals to purchase health insurance.

Opposition to the law has been led by the Republican Party and all four of the party's presidential candidates have said that if elected, they would unravel the legislation.

The US Supreme Court is currently made up of five judges who were appointed by Republican presidents and four appointed by a Democrat.

If the judges decide they do have jurisdiction, a decision is expected in June.

pfd/ncy (AP, AFP)