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Posted: 6:24 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2012
ATLANTA —
Two years after President Obama signed sweeping health care insurance reform into law, the Supreme Court will hear arguments that challenge the constitutionality of the plan.
Three days of arguments will take place, and Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens has secured a seat inside the courtroom as one of just six attorneys general in the audience.
Georgia is one of 26 states that filed suit asking that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be struck down. The law reorganizes one-sixth of the U.S. economy over the next decade to cover most of the country's 50 million uninsured.
The individual mandate that requires Americans to enroll in health care insurance or face fines is the subject of Wednesday's hearing, and is the basis for the suit filed by the state of Georgia.
"Clearly, I think we have a really strong argument. Never before has the federal government sought to invoke the commerce clause for the failure to buy a product," Olens told Channel 2 political reporter Lori Geary.
"We clearly want the individual mandate stricken. I'll tell you, if the whole act isn't stricken, it's a big problem," Olens said.
Democratic state Rep. Simone Bell spoke on the state House floor Friday to mark the two-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, dubbed "Obamacare" by critics.
"I hope the Supreme Court will come back and say this is something we need in the U.S. and they won't find it unconstitutional," Bell told Geary.
Olens says if the Supreme Court upholds the expansion of Medicaid, it could cost Georgia $2.5 billion over 10 years by requiring another 700,000 Georgians to join Medicaid.
Olens says the high court's ultimate decision will be historic.
"I think it's fascinating. I think people should pay less attention on the politics and more attention on the law. This is where justices rule on law, rather than partisanship," Olens said.
A ruling from the Supreme Court is expected by the end of June.
Channel 2's Lori Geary contributed to this story. Follow her on Twitter @lorigeary.
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