The constitutionality of health care reform is something a U.S. District Court judge is allowing 20 states to contest. Specifically, they will be allowed to contest whether the mandate that requires virtually all Americans to buy health insurance is giving the government too much power.
States Fight in Court
U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson, who presides over the Northern District of Florida, has looked at requests from multiple states to contest the decision to require health insurance, something that they think would exceed Congress’s constitutional authority to regulate commerce.
States began suing the motion literally within minutes of President Barack Obama signing the health care reform bill into law. While some states were unable to move forward, those that have approved Vinson have been heard. He has not only rejected the Obama administration’s request to throw out the case initiated by the states, but also rule partly in the states’ favor.
A summary judgment hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16 when states and the government will be able to issue final arguments.
Many Not Happy or Confused by Health Care Reform
While health care reform was intended to provide new opportunities of affordable health coverage to Americans, many parts of the reform bill are either too confusing to take full advantage of, have failed in the eyes of citizens or are being sidestepped by insurance companies.
Just last August, Missouri voted down the mandate for health coverage. While this vote won’t stop residents from being required to purchase coverage, it sends strong message of just how displeased some are with reform.
Those who aren’t totally opposed are just plain confused. A study conducted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) found that only 14 percent of those surveyed were able to correctly identify the law’s earliest effective dates.
It also doesn’t help that though insurance companies are bound to new laws, many are not following them. Some are even dropping certain types of policies to avoid having to insure certain groups.
It’s been a long uphill battle trying to find a coverage that will make everyone happy. Of course, this will never happen, but hopefully, by the time much of reform is to take effect in 2014, most of the kinks will be worked out.
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