US: SC ruling on health care postponed till June 25

Washington, Jun 22: The US Supreme Court postponed its verdict on President Barack Obama's health care law till Jun 25. It was supposed to give its ruling on Thursday. It also did not give its ruling on the Arizona immigration law on Thursday.

According to a Supreme Court correspondent of a US-based news website, five of the apex court's Republican-appointed justices were in favour of quashing the Affordable Care Act's individual health-insurance mandate during the debates in March while four of the Democrat judges were supporting it. The correspondent said both sides might have softened their respective views since then and there could be twists and turns in the final verdict. Whatever the final ruling is, it will undoubtedly have complex implications.

A noted political commentator said the judges might not reach a consensus decision and give rulings to uphold or annual various parts of the law. It would make things difficult to make out the majority verdict and the probable implications. The commentator said there could be four likely scenarios: the court upholds the law in its entirety, it invalidates the individual mandate part but keeps the rest of the law intact, it also quashes the Medical expansion besides the individual mandate part but upholds the rest or it rejects the entire law.

Apprehensions, however, are on that the court might strike down the Affordable Care Act. If it really happens, then the Supreme Court might be facing some serious reaction. Another observer said it would mean the Supreme Court could quash legislation willfully.

If Obama's healthcare law could cover approximately 30 million uninsured individuals. Even then, about 26 million would go uninsured, including many who could not afford to pay. Now, it is to be seen whether the law remains alive in its entirety or not.

OneIndia News