Federal Judge Declares Health Care Law Constitutional

Posted by | October 7, 2010 18:36 | Filed under: Top Stories


U.S. District Court Judge George Steeh has ruled that it is constitutional to require uninsured Americans to purchase health care. Steeh says it falls under the constitutional mandate for Congress to regulate interstate commerce.

“The decision whether to purchase insurance or to attempt to pay for health care out of pocket, is plainly economic,” Steeh wrote in a 20-page opinion. “These decisions, viewed in the aggregate, have clear and direct impacts on health care providers, taxpayers, and the insured population who ultimately pay for the care provided to those who go without insurance…The health care market is unlike other markets. No one can guarantee his or her health, or ensure that he or she will never participate in the health care market. Indeed, the opposite is nearly always true,” wrote Steeh, [adding], “Far from ‘inactivity,’ by choosing to forgo insurance plaintiffs are making an economic decision to try to pay for health care services later, out of pocket, rather than now through the purchase of insurance.”

The suit was brought by the Christian-oriented Thomas More center and four individuals who oppose a penalty for not buying insurance.

Click here for reuse options!
Copyright 2010 Liberaland
By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

Leave a Reply