USA: Protesters for and against Obama's healthcare plan mass outside the U.S. Supreme Court for the final day of arguments before the nation's highest court

Record ID: 717300

  • Title: USA: Protesters for and against Obama's healthcare plan mass outside the U.S. Supreme Court for the final day of arguments before the nation's highest court
  • Date: 29th March 2012
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 28, 2012) (REUTERS) CROWDS GATHERED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT BUILDING PEOPLE CHANTING IN FAVOR AND AGAINST PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S HEALTHCARE REFORM PLAN WOMAN RINGING BELL MAN HOLDING PROTEST SIGN AGAINST OBAMA HEALTH REFORM PLAN. SUPREME COURT BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 13th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Health,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA31MH7B2VTNQ76N3SPPX8S38B2
  • Story Text: Voices on both sides of the healthcare reform plan of President Barack Obama could be heard again on Wednesday (March 28) outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington.
    They were standing for or against the Obama administration's blueprint for healthcare reform. Opponents say the plan will be too costly and would unfairly force Americans to buy health insurance. Those in favor say it will provide much needed healthcare to those currently without any form of medical insurance.
    Inside, the nine justices of the nation's highest court continued to grapple with the plan's call for an "individual mandate" - the part of the health law that makes Americans pay a penalty if they don't buy medical insurance.
    On Wednesday, the last of three days of historic arguments, the court appeared split, with Republican-appointed conservatives doubting the law would survive and the Democratic-appointed liberals offering a strong defense for the statute.
    If even one of the five conservative Republican appointees joins the four liberal Democratic appointees on the court, the law would be upheld. If the five conservatives stay united, the law would fall. The law, which constitutes the U.S. healthcare system's biggest overhaul in nearly 50 years, seeks to provide health insurance to more than 30 million previously uninsured Americans and to slow down soaring medical costs.
    The court is expected to rule by late June on the fate of the law, considered Obama's signature domestic policy achievement.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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