Shortly after sweeping health reforms become law, states file legal challenges

CNN: Officials from 14 states filed lawsuits Tuesday to block the newly enacted historic overhaul of the U.S. health care system. "'Thirteen of those officials filed suit in a federal court in Pensacola, Florida, minutes after Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The complaint calls the act an "unprecedented encroachment on the sovereignty of the states" and asks a judge to block its enforcement'" (Hamby, 3/23).

Reuters: That "joint lawsuit by a dozen Republicans and a Democrat claims the sweeping reforms violate state-government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments. Virginia went to court separately." In that action, Virginia argues "the new law's requirements that most Americans buy health insurance clashed with a state law that exempts Virginians from federal fines to be imposed for not owning health insurance" (Connor, 3/23).

BusinessWeek: The 13 states also claim the reform legislation "places a fiscal burden on their cash-strapped budgets with an expansion of state-run Medicaid." In their lawsuit they seek "to bar
enforcement of the healthcare legislation while the case proceeds in federal court" (McQuillen and Harris, 3/23).