Chief Justice Denies Request for Emergency Stay Against ACA
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday denied without comment a request for an emergency stay against the Affordable Care Act made by the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons and the Alliance for Natural Health USA, the AP/Sacramento Bee reports.
The two groups requested the stay on Friday, arguing that Congress improperly passed the ACA. They said the bill originated in the Senate, even though revenue-raising measures must originate in the House (AP/Sacramento Bee, 1/7).
In October 2013, AAPS filed a similar lawsuit, arguing that the ACA should be declared unconstitutional because the government failed to garner congressional approval when it postponed the employer mandate until 2015. The suit alleged that the decision violates the 10th amendment and the constitutional separation of powers (Ramde, AP/U-T San Diego, 10/30/13).
In the request made Friday, AAPS and ANHUSA also argued that the ACA's physician-registration requirements would make it more difficult for independent, non-Medicare physicians to treat patients eligible for Medicare (AP/Sacramento Bee, 1/7).
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