Obamacare case pulled from appeals court schedule

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday delayed plans to handle a challenge to the Obama administration's health care law because the Supreme Court is stepping into a separate case covering the same legal ground. On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided not to move forward with an Obamacare case that was to have been argued on Dec. 17. It will be held back until the Supreme Court rules on its case, probably in late June. The subject of both lawsuits is the subsidies that help millions of low- and middle-income people afford their health insurance premiums. The Supreme Court ruling will directly impact the appeals court case. In July, the Richmond, Virginia-based appeals court upheld Internal Revenue Service regulations that allow health insurance tax credits under the law for consumers in all 50 states. On the same day, a panel of appellate judges in the District of Columbia, sided with the challengers in striking down the IRS regulations. The Washington court held that under the law, financial aid can be provided only in states that have set up their own exchanges. In October, the entire Washington appeals court voted to rehear the case and threw out the panel's ruling. Published: Fri, Nov 14, 2014