Millions Could Lose Coverage as Supreme Court Weighs Obamacare Challenge

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The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments in a new challenge to the Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare." The Competitive Enterprise Institute, backed by the billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, sued the government over an aspect of the law dealing with tax subsidies. The legal question before the court focuses on a four-word phrase in the Affordable Care Act, which says subsidies are available to those buying insurance on exchanges "established by the state."

Plaintiffs claim the wording does not include some 7.5 million people in 34 states who get their insurance through federal exchanges, after their states declined to run exchanges of their own. If the government loses the case, millions of people would lose the subsidies needed to help pay for private health insurance. Justices appeared sharply divided during Wednesday's arguments, and a decision is expected by late June.

"Democracy Now!" is joined by Ian Millhiser, who attended Wednesday's court hearing. He is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, editor of ThinkProgress Justice, and author of the forthcoming book Injustices: The Supreme Court's History of Comforting the Comfortable and Afflicting the Afflicted.

Photo credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst