This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
Published on December 19, 2019, a federal appeals court dealt a significant blow to the Affordable Care Act by striking down the individual mandate, a key provision of the law.
The Trump administration had refused to defend the law, instead siding with the plaintiffs who argued that the mandate was unconstitutional. The 21 intervening states, led by Democratic attorneys general, appealed the ruling, joined by the House of Representatives.
Abbe R. Gluck, a health care expert at Yale Law School, expressed frustration that the law's future remains uncertain, despite the appeals panel recognizing the weaknesses in the lower court opinion.
Health care is a contentious issue in the Democratic presidential primary race, with candidates vying to improve or replace the Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration has yet to respond to the ruling, but has stated that it will continue to enforce the law until all appeals are exhausted.
For now, the law stands, but its long-term viability is in question. The ruling has significant implications for the millions of Americans who rely on the Affordable Care Act for health insurance.
