US Supreme Court to hear challenges to Obama health care

The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed
consider health care reform
© AFP/File

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up cases challenging the constitutionality of President Barack Obama’s landmark health care reform.

The court’s decision will likely come in 2012, in the thick of the US presidential campaign in which Obama is seeking re-election, with his health care reform under attack from rival Republicans.

The court said they would consider a request by the Obama administration to declare the measure constitutional, as well as two cases challenging the law, including one case presented by 26 US states.

Opponents say that the most controversial element of the law — mandating that people buy health insurance or face a tax — violates individual rights as set out under the US Constitution.

But the White House said it was satisfied that the issue was being taken up by the nation’s top nine justices.

“We are pleased the court has agreed to hear this case,” said a White House spokesman, Dan Pfeiffer, of the law which extended coverage to an extra 32 million people and was a long-held dream of Democrats.

“We know the Affordable Care Act is constitutional and are confident the Supreme Court will agree.”

Republican presidential hopefuls have derided the sweeping reforms as “Obamacare” and have vowed to repeal them if elected to office.

The justices are expected to rule by the end of their term in June 2012, in a judgment likely to reverberate before the November 2012 general election.