Obama health reforms go to highest US court

It will start proceedings in March and give its ruling a few months before the country decides if Mr Obama deserves another term.

This decision to hear arguments in the spring sets up an election-year showdown over the White House’s main domestic policy achievement. And it allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before election day.

The justices announced they will hear an extraordinary five-and-a-half hours of arguments from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law and three other related questions about the act.

In the modern era, the last time the court allotted anywhere near this much time for arguments was in 2003 for consideration of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. That case consumed four hours of argument.

The 2010 health care overhaul law aims to extend insurance coverage to more than 30 million Americans by requiring individuals to buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty and other measures.

Republicans say the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. Mr Obama signed it into law in March 2010.