Coral Gables Watch

Health Care Ruling: See for Yourself

Find here a summary of the results of the ruling of a Florida judge on the health care reform bill claims.  You will see many issues that were dismissed.  As a novice this doesn’t sound as negative as it is portrayed in the news.

Here is the bottom line:

(1) the individual mandate and concomitant penalty exceed Congressional authority under the Commerce Clause and violate the Ninth and Tenth Amendments;   NOT DISMISSED

(2) the individual mandate and penalty violate substantive due process under the Fifth Amendment; DISMISSED

(3) if the penalty imposed for failing to comply with the individual mandate is found to be a tax, it is an unconstitutional unapportioned capitation or direct tax in violation of U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 4, and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; DISMISSED AS MOOT

(4) the Act coerces and commandeers the states with respect to Medicaid by altering and expanding the program in violation of Article I and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; NOT DISMISSED

(5) it coerces and commandeers with respect to the health benefit exchanges in violation of Article I and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; DISMISSED

(6) the employer mandate interferes with the states’ sovereignty as large employers and in the performance of government functions in violation of Article I and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; DISMISSED

Thus, the case will proceed on the issue of whether the individual mandate is in excess of Congress’ commerce power in contravention of the Tenth Amendment and on the issue of whether the Medicaid changes are in excess of Congress’ Article I power and in contravention of the Tenth Amendment.

via Constitutional Law Prof Blog: Florida District Judge Rules on Motion to Dismiss Health Care Reform Challenge.