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6 year oldIn a ruling released Friday evening, a federal judge in Texas sided with states arguing that key provisions of the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare" are unconstitutional.
The decision is almost certain to be appealed, but creates new uncertainty for the country's healthcare system. Per a White House statement, "We expect this ruling will be appealed to the Supreme Court. Pending the appeal process, the law remains in place."
Texas led 19 states arguing that the individual mandate — the requirement that everyone must have health insurance — is unconstitutional, after Congress gutted the key portion of the mandate, the tax penalty for not buying coverage.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in the Northern District of Texas agreed with those states and ruled the individual mandate unconstitutional. Because the mandate is an essential part of the ACA in the judge's view, that led him to rule that the entire health law should be struck down.
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