Pruitt Wins Challenge To Implementing ObamaCare

For Immediate Release

Oklahoma Attorney General Wins First Battle in Challenge to Implementation of Obamacare

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt Monday won the state’s first challenge against the Affordable Care Act after a federal judge denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case.

Judge Ronald White issued the decision Monday afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee.

“The court rejected the federal government’s argument that Oklahoma lacked standing to challenge the law, allowing us to proceed with this pivotal case,” General Pruitt said. “We’re optimistic the court will recognize what states have known for months that the IRS disregarded the law by making the large employer mandate effective in Oklahoma or in any of the 33 other states without a state health care exchange.”

Oklahoma challenged implementation of the Affordable Care Act after the IRS finalized a rule that would allow the federal government to punish “large employers,” including local government, with millions of dollars in tax penalties in states without state health care exchanges, which is not allowed under the health care law.

“Congress provided a choice for Oklahoma and other states in implementation of the health care law, and the IRS is attempting to take that away by rule,” General Pruitt said. “The administration miscalculated how many states would support this law, so now they’re using the IRS to push through provisions that Congress did not pass.”

Oklahoma’s original lawsuit was filed in January 2011. In September, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision, General Pruitt filed an amended complaint to raise issues related to the law’s implementation.

 

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