Cruz, Rubio, Other GOPers Urge Court To Stop Obamacare Subsidies

[DonViejo]

DYLAN SCOTT – FEBRUARY 7, 2014, 1:48 PM EST

Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, along with other top congressional GOPers, have urged a federal court to block Obamacare subsidies for people who signed up for coverage through HealthCare.gov.

The group of eight -- which includes Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn, Sens. Orrin Hatch (UT), Mike Lee (UT) and Rob Portman (OH) along with Reps. Dave Camp (MI) and Darrell Issa (CA) -- filed an amicus brief Thursday on behalf of businesses and individuals who sued to stop the subsidies from flowing through the federal website, the Washington Times reported.

The case, being heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit next month, centers on whether people can receive tax subsidies through the federal website, HealthCare.gov. More than 30 states rely on HealthCare.gov, while 14 plus Washington, D.C., set up their own websites.

The plaintiffs argue that the Affordable Care Act, if held to its exact wording, allows the federal government to provide subsidies to people only if they sign up through a state-run website. The Obama administration says that Congress clearly intended for people to receive subsidies no matter whether they enrolled through a federal or state website.

more
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cruz-rubio-obamacare-subsidies-lawsuit

[Swede Atlanta]

1. Give it a rest........

I am the first one to admit that the ACA is extremely complex and long. It was likely written by an army of staffers and bureaucrats. The fact there are internal incongruities can be expected with something as vast as this that was crafted as quickly as it was.

My first thought was when that provision was written it was expected that each state would run its own exchange or they simply forgot to include, "or by the federal exchange run on behalf of a state that elects not to run its own exchange".

If successful by this action they are digging their hole deeper. Those millions of people who finally have access to AFFORDABLE healthcare will forever spurn the party of decline. Independents who may be agnostic about the ACA are likely to view this as cruel just as they view the refusal to raise the minimum wage, extend unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, pass immigration reform, etc.

The Republicans seem hell-bent on becoming an increasingly marginalized regional party.

[OKNancy]

2. seems to me that the insurance companies would raise a big stink

If we didn't get a subsidy, we would have to cancel our insurance. I imagine others would too.
A lot of lost business there.