WASHINGTON – A US appeals court handed President Barack Obama a victory for his signature healthcare law yesterday, ruling against challenges by the state of Virginia and others seeking to invalidate the law as unconstitutional.
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned a lower court judge who had ruled the federal government could not compel people to buy health insurance or face paying a penalty. This is known as the individual mandate and takes effect in 2014.
Virginia had contended this provision conflicted with a state statute, giving it standing to challenge the federal law. – (Reuters)
