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5 Justices Agree: Insurance Penalty Considered A Tax

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

In a landmark ruling, a major victory for President Obama. The Supreme Court has upheld the administration's health care law. The court ruled that the Affordable Care Act, with it's what's known as individual mandate as a requirement that virtually all Americans buy health insurance, is constitutional. The court's majority did not find the law constitutional under Congress' power to regulate interstate commerce...

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Instead, five justices agreed that the requirement to have health coverage should be considered a tax and that Congress does have the power to impose taxes. On the issue of Medicaid expansion, a majority of the court said Congress can expand Medicaid, but it cannot strip states of all their Medicaid funds if they fail to carry out the expansion.

MONTAGNE: The White House says President Obama will make an appearance later today to comment on the ruling. And we'll have more on that Supreme Court ruling coming up in the next hour of MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.