States Say Administration Seeking Stay Of Decision Against Healthcare Law

Politico (2/24) reports, "The 26 states who came out on the winning end of a federal court decision invalidating the healthcare reform law say an Obama administration request for clarification is nothing but 'wishful thinking.'"

Politico says, "The administration has asked US District Judge Roger Vinson to clarify his order invalidating the Affordable Care Act." Yet, "in a brief filed Wednesday night, the states say the administration is effectively seeking a stay of Vinson's order -- and that it hasn't met the standards for one."

The states wrote in their brief, "If the Government was not prepared to comply with the Court's judgment, the proper and respectful course would have been to seek an immediate stay, not an untimely and unorthodox motion to clarify,"

The Hill (2/24) reports in its "Healthwatch" blog. Since Vinson made his "ruling, some states have declared the reform law effectively dead unless an appellate court reverses the decision." Notably, "Florida has returned federal grants for implementation, while Alaska has turned down another."