Arizona now officially part of health care lawsuit against feds

Arizona has officially joined the multistate lawsuit against the new federal health care law, Gov. Jan Brewer announced.

The coalition of 19 states filed amended paperwork with the U.S. District Court in Northern Florida on May 14 to include Arizona, as well as the National Federation of Independent Business, as plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the federal government.

“I have joined this suit on behalf of the citizens of Arizona to assure our state has a voice in the legal proceedings and to assure that Arizona citizens enjoy the benefits and protections of the lower court rulings in favor of the states. This matter is too important for our state to sit back and do nothing,” Brewer wrote in a press release.

The lawsuit alleges that the massive health care legislation passed by Congress in March, which includes provisions mandating that most people in the United States get health care coverage and preventing states from decreasing the coverage offered under Medicaid and other programs, is an unconstitutional violation of states’ 10th Amendment rights.

The Legislature approved Arizona’s participation in the lawsuit in a special session. Brewer said the suit will cost the state less than $5,000.