Florida judge refuses to halt new healthcare law

[n2doc]

Source: Reuters

MIAMI, Mar. 3, 2011 (Reuters) — A federal judge in Florida on Thursday refused to order the Obama administration to stop implementing its far-reaching healthcare law, a small victory for President Barack Obama in his high-stakes effort to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system.

But U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson ordered the administration to seek an expedited appellate review within the next week of his January 31 ruling that favored arguments by 26 states that the law's requirement that Americans buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty was unconstitutional.

The Obama administration has said previously it would appeal the ruling and continue implementing the law, which includes provisions allowing young adults to remain on their parents' healthcare insurance and prevents insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.

While Vinson and a federal judge in Virginia have ruled against the law, a cornerstone of Obama's domestic agenda, judges in several other states have dismissed challenges. The case is expected to eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Read more: http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre7225ih-us-usa-healthcare-states/

[dennis4868]

1. not sure if this is good news or bad news....

for the DU "narrative" of Obama....which is it?

[savalez]

2. Oh I get it, a "small victory" when it favors the law, a "huge blow" when it doesn't.

sheece.

[BenzoDia]

3. Mr. Vinson initially overstepped his bounds striking down the entire law.

The provisions that are currently in effect do not depend on the mandate, so striking down the whole thing is bullshit. And, a good portion of the provisions were also in Boehner's healthcare proposal. They just want to strike the whole law down to deny Mr. Obama a political victory.

Btw, we should all do what we can to get people taking advantage of the current benefits being provided to us. See healthcare.gov for a list.

[Kber]

4. Regarding the provisions we should be taking advantage of

My husband owns a small (i.e. 3 person) IT consulting company. He's decided to seriously upgrade the Health Insurance he offers and eat the additional cost in the form of a greater "Employer Contribution". So effectively his employees get better coverage with lower out of pocket expenses, but at no additional cost to them.

When he announced the new plan (OK, with a whopping 3 employees "announce" is a bit grand, but he did pull a meeting together to go over the details) an employee asked how he could afford the additional expense. My DH is pretty open about the state of the business which is OK, but not great, so they were worried about him taking on the additional cost.


DH explained that the cost was almost completely offset by the Small Business tax credit, so essentially for him it was close to a wash. His one employee is a dedicated Republican (young man following his father's example), but he was forced to mutter "Well, thank you President Obama, I guess."

DH doesn't talk politics with the staff at all, but he will sometimes point out when Democratic policies are good for business - i.e. like easing credit or the A.C.A. Just as a very gentle nudge to try to open the minds of his young and impressionable staff.

[BenzoDia]

5. That is an awesome story! Thanks for sharing.

[2Design]

6. great story

[kpete]

7. Judge Stays Own Ruling Against Health Care Law (allowing the law to remain fully in effect)

Source: New York Times

Judge Stays Own Ruling Against Health Care Law
By KEVIN SACK
Published: March 3, 2011


A federal judge in Florida on Thursday issued a stay of his own ruling against the Obama health care act, allowing the law to remain fully in effect while being appealed, eventually to the Supreme Court.

The Florida case is one of two in which judges have found a central provision of the law unconstitutional. But it is the only case in which a judge struck down the entire law, and suggested that implementation should halt during an appellate process that could stretch for two years.

Judge Roger Vinson of Federal District Court in Pensacola, who ruled on Jan. 31 that the entire law was invalid, issued the stay without a specific request from the Obama administration. The Justice Department, which represents the administration, had asked Judge Vinson to clarify his January ruling, which the judge had characterized as the “functional equivalent” of an injunction to suspend the law.

The administration did not, however, cease implementation of the law. States took differing approaches, with some effectively ceasing all planning while others continued as if nothing had changed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/04/health/policy/04judge.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[elocs]

8. The "Obama health care act" has a name: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Signed into law by the President on 23 March 2010.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. NYT busted.

Shameful "reporting."

[The Blue Flower]

9. Thanks from me to kpete

For all your postings. They're always worth reading.