The Thomas More Law Center has officially asked the Supreme Court to review the decision made by a United States appeals court. The appeals court decided that the mandatory health insurance requirement was constitutional. The Thomas More Law Center wants to see that decision overturned.
This is a battle that has been going on since the day that President Barack Obama signed the health care reform law known as The Affordable Care Act, (and also as “Obamacare”). The most controversial part of the Affordable Care Act is the mandatory health insurance requirement. This is the part that states that all Americans must purchase health insurance in 2014, and that those who choose not to will pay a fine.
The Thomas More Law Center, which is based in Michigan, is a “not-for-profit public interest law firm dedicated to the defense and promotion of the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life”.
They have felt from the very beginning that the mandatory health insurance requirement was unconstitutional, and have been involved in several court cases, and appeals of court cases, in an effort to get the health insurance requirement officially declared unconstitutional. The group originally filed its lawsuit back in March of 2010, on the very same day that the Affordable Care Act was signed by President Obama.
On the other side of this case is the federal government, who continues to pose their argument that it is constitutional for Congress to require that all Americans buy health insurance in 2014 because it falls under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. The federal government, of course, currently includes President Barack Obama and his administration. This is the group that, in short, created the Affordable Care Act.
This week, the Thomas Moore Law Center has asked the Supreme Court to review the decision made about a month ago by a United States court of appeals. That court decided Congress did have the right to require all Americans to purchase health insurance in 2014. Obviously, the Thomas Moore Law Center is hoping that the Supreme Court will overturn that decision, and decide that the health insurance requirement is unconstitutional.
If the Supreme Court decides to review the case, then it would mean that this lawsuit regarding the constitutionality of the health insurance requirement will be heard by the highest court in the United States. It is my understanding that no matter which way the Supreme Court decides, it will bring an end to this particular battle.
Image by Jason Taellious on Flickr