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District Judge Sides With Oklahoma On Affordable Care Act Challenge

a stack of dollar bills with a stethoscope and bottle of pills
James Martin
/
Flickr

A federal judge has sided with Oklahoma in its lawsuit challenging some subsidies offered to people buying insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Tuesday's ruling is the latest court decision on regulations in the federal law that allow health insurance tax credits in all 50 states. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., threw out a decision questioning those subsidies.

In Oklahoma, Attorney General Scott Pruitt argued that the law doesn't explicitly allow subsidies for people who buy insurance in Oklahoma and other states that didn't set up their own insurance exchanges.

U.S. District Judge Ronald White agreed, saying the regulations were "an abuse of discretion." But White put his ruling on hold pending an appeal. The issue could eventually end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

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