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A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 19 december 2019
Court: Part of ‘Obamacare’ invalid, more review needed

By REBECCA SANTANA and a political issue during the
MARK SHERMAN 2020 election campaign,
Associated Press giving Democrats a line of
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The attack against President
“individual mandate” of Donald Trump and con-
former President Barack gressional Republicans.
Obama’s health care law With the health law’s ul-
is invalid, but other parts timate fate still in doubt,
of the law need further re- Democrats will argue that
view, a federal appeals Republicans are trying to
court ruled Wednesday. strip coverage away from
The court’s decision will 20 million Americans.
not immediately affect All the Democratic presi-
the Affordable Care Act, dential candidates favor
President Barack Obama’s expanding coverage to
signature health care the remaining 27 million
policy, which remains in uninsured, although their
place while the court case ideas range from building
continues. The 2-1 ruling on the Obama health law
handed down by a panel to replacing America’s mix
of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of private and public insur-
of Appeals in New Orleans ance with a single plan run
largely sidestepped what This screen grab from the website HealthCare.gov shows the extended deadline for signing up for by the government.
happens to some of the health care coverage for 2020. The decision comes after
most popular parts of the Associated Press the conclusion of sign-up
Affordable Care Act such the individual mandate, although unenforceable, and families secured under season for ACA coverage
as protections for those even after this inquiry is con- and would have left the the Affordable Care Act for next year. Technical
with pre-existing conditions, cluded. It may be that all of rest of the law alone. can be yanked from under glitches over the weekend
Medicaid expansion and the ACA is severable from “Without any enforcement them,” Becerra said in a had led to an extension un-
the ability for children un- the individual mandate. It mechanism to speak of, statement. til early Wednesday. That
der the age of 26 to remain may also be that some of questions about the legality Attorney General Ken Pax- means the court ruling will
on their parents insurance. the ACA is severable from of the individual ‘mandate’ ton of Texas applauded not affect enrollment for
The panel agreed with Tex- the individual mandate, are purely academic, and the court’s decision to de- 2020. The lawsuit followed
as-based U.S. District Judge and some is not,” Judge people can purchase in- clare the mandate uncon- congressional approval
Reed O’Connor’s 2018 find- Jennifer Elrod wrote. surance—or not—as they stitutional. of a major tax cut in 2017,
ing that the law’s insurance O’Connor has to be more please,” King wrote. “No “As the court’s opinion rec- which included the reduc-
requirement, the so-called specific about which parts more need be said; it has ognized, the only reason tion of the “Obamacare”
“individual mandate,” was of the law can’t be sepa- long been settled that the the Supreme Court upheld tax on the uninsured to
rendered unconstitutional rated from the mandate, federal courts deal in cases Obamacare in 2012 was zero. The case came about
when Congress, in 2017, and also must take into and controversies, not aca- Congress’ taxing power, because “Obamacare”
reduced a tax on people account Congress’ deci- demic curiosities.” and without the individual opponents noted a splin-
without insurance to zero. sion to leave the rest of the California Attorney Gen- mandate’s penalty that tered Supreme Court ruling
The court reached no de- law essentially unchanged eral Xavier Becerra, who justification crumbled,” of 2012 that upheld the law.
cision on the big issue — when it reduced the penal- is leading state efforts to Paxton wrote. “We look for- In that decision, conserva-
how much of the Afford- ty for not having insurance defend the law, promised ward to the opportunity to tive justices had rejected
able Care Act must fall to zero, Elrod wrote. a quick appeal to the Su- further demonstrate that the argument that Con-
along with the insurance In dissent, Judge Carolyn preme Court. Congress made the individ- gress could require that ev-
mandate. The Act has re- Dineen King said her col- “For now, the President got ual mandate the center- eryone buy insurance. But
mained in place while the leagues were prolonging the gift he wanted -- un- piece of Obamacare and Chief Justice John Roberts,
question of its future has “uncertainty over the future certainty in the healthcare the rest of the law cannot joining four liberal justices,
been litigated in court. of the healthcare sector.” system and a pathway to stand without it.” said Congress did have the
“It may still be that none of King would have found the repeal -- so that the health- The court’s ruling ensures power to tax those without
the ACA is severable from mandate constitutional, care that seniors, workers “Obamacare” will remain insurance.q

Baltimore ex-mayor charged with perjury by state prosecutor

By BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Baltimore’s disgraced ex-mayor has been charged with perjury
for failing to disclose her business interest in a self-published children’s book, Maryland’s
state prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Catherine Pugh, a Democrat who has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to her
“Healthy Holly” books, failed to disclose her business interest in Health Holly, LLC on her
financial disclosure forms when she was a Maryland state senator representing a Balti-
more district.
Already facing the possibility of decades behind bars, the new charge carries a penalty
of up to 10 years in prison.
“Transparency from our elected officials is an essential aspect of protecting Maryland
In this June 8, 2018 file photo, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh residents from corruption and political malfeasance,” said Charlton Howard, the state
addresses a gathering during the annual meeting of the U.S. prosecutor, in a statement. “Our office is committed to ensuring that those who abuse
Conference of Mayors in Boston. positions of trust in our state and local governments are held accountable by the State
Associated Press of Maryland.”q