Federal Judge in Texas Rules Entire Obama Healthcare Law Is Unconstitutional

U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor of Texas ruled on Friday that the entirety of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional because of a recent change in federal tax law, reports the Washington Post . The ruling upheld a lawsuit initiated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; the plaintiffs' contention that the ACA is invalid stems from the Supreme Court's 2012 ruling in which Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority that the penalty the law created for Americans who do not carry health insurance is constitutional because Congress "does have the power to impose a tax on those without health insurance." Congressional Republicans pushed through a change in which that penalty will be eliminated, starting in January, as part of the tax overhaul earlier this year. The lawsuit argues that, with the enforcement of the insurance requirement stripped, there is no longer a tax so the law no longer is constitutional. If the ruling stands, it would create widespread disruption across the U.S. healthcare system. The White House released a statement concerning the ruling, saying, "We expect this ruling will be appealed to the Supreme Court. Pending the appeal process, the law remains in place." Congressional Democrats decried O'Connor's ruling, as did major healthcare industry segments. America's Health Insurance Plans promised consumers that their health coverage would remain "strong and stable" while the ruling is appealed.