Bulk of Obamacare Likely Safe in New Supreme Court Case

Some conservative Supreme Court justices Tuesday signaled that they’re unlikely to tear down Obamacare as oral arguments began in a Republican-backed lawsuit challenging the landmark health care law.

The justices’ line of questioning suggests the court’s newly fortified 6-3 conservative majority has reservations about overturning or undercutting a law that covers over 20 million people and provides popular insurance protections.

The Affordable Care Act seems likely to withstand its third challenge at the Supreme Court.

During arguments in a case seeking to eliminate Obamacare, several of the court’s conservatives on Tuesday expressed an unwillingness to strike down the landmark legislation.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who cast the key vote in 2012 upholding Obamacare, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, an appointee of President Donald Trump, suggested that the court may cast aside a challenged provision of the law, known as the individual mandate, while leaving the rest of it standing.