Fourth Circuit Appeals Court Hears Two Healthcare Reform Challenges

May 11, 2011

Judges signal they will uphold provisions in law that require mandatory health coverage

A randomly selected three-judge panel (2 Obama appointees and 1 Clinton appointee) heard arguments in two Virgina cases filed challenging the constitutionality of healthcare reform. Liberty University and the Virginia Attorney General cited that Congress exceeded its constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce by mandating individuals to have health insurance by 2014 or pay a penalty. The two- hour hearing was spirited and both sides were aggressively questioned by the panel of judges. Most experts expect the U.S. Supreme Court to make the final decision on the constitutionality of the healthcare law.

Tuesday, the Maine House voted to allow individuals to purchase health insurance from companies licensed in other states and carriers to offer a more diverse set of insurance products. The bill has now been sent to the Senate for consideration.

To read more on these two news items, check out the May 11, 2011 NAHU Newswire.

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