WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court agreed June 24 to decide whether the federal government owes $12 billion to insurance companies that have lost money as a result of the “risk corridors” program within the Affordable Care Act, which is commonly known as the Obamacare law.
Republican lawmakers characterize proposed congressional funding to make up for the alleged shortfall as a “bailout” for the insurance industry. A fiscal 2015 federal appropriations bill included a provision forbidding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from satisfying the risk pool’s obligations out of general funds.
