The White House on Friday expressed confidence that Obamacare subsidies would withstand the scrutiny of Supreme Court justices in the wake of the nation’s highest court announcing it would hear a new challenge to President Obama’s healthcare law.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said administration officials have “high confidence in the legal argument” for the Obamacare subsidies and that the “common-sense perspective” should prevail.
“The congressional intent here is quite clear,” Earnest added.
The Supreme Court said Friday that it would determine whether the Obamacare legislation authorizes subsidies given to low-income people through federal health exchanges.
Critics argue that the wording of the legislation applies only to states that set up their own exchanges.
If the Supreme Court deems the subsidies invalid, it would effectively gut a centerpiece of the Affordable Care Act and deliver the largest judicial blow to Obama since he took office.
