Supreme Court sets March date for healthcare challenges

The U.S. Supreme Court scheduled three days in March to hear challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including the constitutionality of the law's individual insurance mandate. The court allocated five and a half hours spread across March 26, 27 and 28. On March 26, the court will consider a procedural question on whether the mandate challenge is barred by the Anti-Injunction Act. On March 27, the court will hear arguments on the mandate's constitutionality. On March 28, the court will consider whether the mandate, if found to be unconstitutional, can be severed from the rest of PPACA or if the entire law must be struck down. Later that day, the court will hear a challenge to PPACA's expansion of Medicaid to cover individuals with income of up to 133% of the federal poverty level. ...