Mandate is an Unprecedented, Unwarranted, and
Unconstitutional Imposition of Federal Power
Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute, said today she was pleased at the approach taken by several members of the Supreme Court today at the argument on the Constitutionality of the individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She said the questions asked by the Justices indicated they understood the profound implications of the mandate and that she is very optimistic that the Court will find it unconstitutional.
“Through ObamaCare, the federal government has seized control of the United States health care system, Americans’ choice of health coverage, and the delivery of care,” Turner said. “The keystone of this federal government intrusion into personal health care is the requirement that Americans buy the kind and scope of insurance coverage dictated by the federal government. Never before has the federal government tried to command Americans like this.”
According to John Hoff, an attorney who is a trustee of the Galen Institute, “The Obama administration has sought to find Constitutional authority for this power grab on the ground that the mandate will reduce the cost of private insurance. It claims that the uncompensated cost of care provided to Americans without insurance is shifted to private insurance and that this cost shift will largely be eliminated by the mandate.
“Galen, joined by others, filed a brief Amici Curiae pointing out, as the Congressional Budget Office and scholars have found, that there is in fact no significant shift of the cost of uncompensated care to private insurance. Our brief points out that the mandate is an attempt to cure a problem that does not exist.”
Turner added: “Instead it would increase the amount of uncompensated care that would be shifted to private insurance. The mandate is not necessary, nor is it proper, and thus it fails to meet the requirements of the Constitution. It appears from today’s oral argument that a majority of the Justices recognize that the mandate is an unprecedented, unwarranted, and unconstitutional imposition of federal power.”
For photos of the Supreme Court steps with activists please visit
http://www.galen.org/photo-gallery-scotus-arguments-day-two/
To schedule an interview with Grace-Marie Turner or John Hoff, please contact Tara Persico at 703-299-9205 or tara@galen.org.