Court wraps up historic health debate

Associated Press

MARK SHERMAN,Associated Press

Updated: Mar 28, 2012 3:36 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three days of oral arguments on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul have come to an end at the Supreme Court -- and it's unclear just which parts of the law might survive the challenge.

Photos: Health care law has its day in court

The justices, who yesterday indicated that they may strike down the health insurance mandate, today appeared to go along with the administration's view that at least two other provisions can't survive without the mandate.

But justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, also spoke about saving parts of the law that aren't tied to the mandate.

And the court's liberal justices made it clear they will vote to uphold the Medicaid expansion. It would take in 15 million people, with the government paying almost all the costs. Twenty-six states are challenging the expansion of the joint state-federal program as coercive -- but Justice Elena Kagan asked what's coercive about "a big gift from the federal government."

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