What aspect of the Affordable Care Act did the Supreme Court declare unconstitutional?
Asked by: Ulices O'Conner | Last update: October 26, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (23 votes)
What made the 2010 Affordable Care Act constitutional?
Final answer: The Supreme Court deemed the 2010 Affordable Care Act constitutional because the individual mandate, which obligates citizens to possess health insurance or incur a penalty, is essentially a tax and the federal government has the authority to tax the populace, as per a 5-4 Supreme Court verdict in 2012.
What were the two main aspects of the Supreme Court's ruling in lawsuits filed against the ACA of 2010?
In a case known as National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius,1 the Court agreed to consider the constitutionality of two major provisions of the ACA: the individual mandate and the Medicaid expansion. A majority of the Court upheld the individual mandate.
What was the Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in 2012?
Numerous concerns were raised from all demographics and from both sides of the political aisle. Some of the concerns were legal questions regarding constitutionality and so legal processes began to address this issue. In June 2012, the Supreme Court decided in a 5–4 vote that the Act is constitutional.
What was wrong with the Affordable Care Act?
Impact on Individual Insurance
It was also known that consumers would face a very different health insurance world under the ACA, with some people seeing their premiums go down and some seeing them go up, and the majority of Americans seeing higher deductibles, higher copays, and a smaller pool of providers.
Supreme Court set to hear arguments whether Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional
What is a controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act?
Individual mandate. The most legally and politically controversial aspect of the ACA, the individual mandate requires Americans to purchase health insurance or face a government penalty, with some exceptions—particularly for low-income individuals who cannot afford to buy insurance [3].
How much is Obamacare a month for a single person?
Monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans vary by state and can be reduced by premium tax credits. The average national monthly health insurance cost for one person on an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan without premium tax credits in 2024 is $477.
How is the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional?
United States Department of Health and Human Services declared the law unconstitutional in an action brought by 26 states, on the grounds that the individual mandate to purchase insurance exceeds the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
Which part of the Constitution did the Supreme Court rely on to invalidate the Affordable Care Act expansion of Medicaid?
The Supreme Court reversed the Eleventh Circuit, and held that the threat of withholding all Medicaid funding for failure to comply with the ACA Medicaid expansion was coercive, and so it violated the Tenth Amendment.
How many times has the Affordable Care Act been challenged?
Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, more than 2,000 legal challenges have been filed in state and federal courts contesting part or all of the ACA.
What two programs were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court?
2/23/1937. In 1935-36, the Supreme Court struck down eight of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs, including the National Recovery Act (NRA) and the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA).
What did the Supreme Court rule was wrong with the Judiciary Act?
He then held that the section of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that gave the Supreme Court the power to issue writs of mandamus was not constitutional (because it exceeded the authority allotted to the Court under Article III of the Constitution) and, therefore, was null and void.
What is the major result of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010?
As the report notes, “Since its passage in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped cut the U.S. uninsured rate nearly in half while significantly reducing racial and ethnic disparities in both insurance coverage and access to care — particularly in states that expanded their Medicaid programs.”
How did the Supreme Court approve and define the ACA as constitutionally legal?
The Supreme Court held that it was unconstitutional for the government to deny existing federal Medicaid funding from states that opt out. The Court determined that the ACA's Medicaid provision violates Congress's constitutional power under the Spending Clause.
What did the Affordable Care Act say?
Health insurance companies cannot turn down your application because of your health status. Women can no longer be charged more for insurance than men. In fact, insurance rates cannot be based on gender or gender identity at all. Once you buy health insurance, you do not have to pay anything for preventive care.
What was the first law the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional?
Marbury v. Madison, legal case in which, on February 24, 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court first declared an act of Congress unconstitutional, thus establishing the doctrine of judicial review. The court's opinion, written by Chief Justice John Marshall, is considered one of the foundations of U.S. constitutional law.
What did the Supreme Court declare unconstitutional in Citizens United quizlet?
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), is a US constitutional law case, in which the United States Supreme Court held that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting political independent expenditures by corporations, associations, or labor unions.
What is the declaration of unconstitutionality?
Declaration of invalidity: section 172(1)(a) of the Constitution requires the court to declare any unconstitutional law or conduct to be unconstitutional to the 'extent of its inconsistency'. A declaration of constitutional invalidity is the mandatory and default remedy.
What is the argument against the Affordable Care Act?
Despite these positive changes, a near majority of Americans still oppose the ACA, even though they approve of most of its features. They oppose the mandate that all Americans must have health insurance (the individual mandate), and they oppose a government role in health care.
What states rejected the Affordable Care Act?
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010, but 10 states have not expanded Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health care for low-income people. They are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Is the Affordable Care Act an amendment?
The “Affordable Care Act” (ACA) is the name for the comprehensive health care reform law (passed in 2010) and its amendments. The law addresses health insurance coverage, health care costs, and preventive care.
What is the highest income to qualify for ACA?
In 2025, you'll typically be eligible for ACA subsidies if you earn between $15,060 and $60,240 as a single person. A family of four is eligible with a household income between $31,200 and $124,800.
What are the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act?
The pros of the ACA include prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage based on health history and providing subsidies to reduce premiums and out-of-pocket costs. The cons of the ACA include small business challenges and limited provider options in some regions.