US Supreme Court To Hear Florida "Obamacare" Challenge
WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - The Supreme Court says it will hear arguments over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul based on a Florida case in which 25 other states and the National Federation of Independent Businesses have joined.
The court is expected to hear the case in March, setting up an election-year showdown over the White House's main domestic policy victory.
Arguments in March would give the court time to make a decision by June just over four months before Election Day.
The crux of the case is a provision that forces people to purchase health care or face penalties. Two Florida attorneys general have fought in court to challenge that provision, and to use it as leverage to have the whole health care plan tossed out.
The White House issued a statement Monday, and said it is pleased that the Supreme Court will hear arguments and is confident the law will be upheld.
The White House says it knows the health care law is constitutional and is confident the Supreme Court will agree.
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 that, setting up an ultimate decision by the Supreme Court.
