Judge Gives Green Light for Constitutional Challenge of Obamacare

PENSACOLA, Fla. – A federal judge says some parts of a lawsuit by 20 states challenging the Obama administration's health care overhaul as unconstitutional can go to trial.

District Judge Roger Vinson ruled Thursday in Pensacola, Fla., that some parts of the lawsuit need to be heard. The administration had asked him to dismiss the entire lawsuit, which was spearheaded by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum.

The lawsuit is likely to wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The states and the administration disagree over whether people should be required to have health insurance, and whether states should pay additional Medicaid costs not covered by the federal government.

A federal judge in Michigan dismissed a similar lawsuit last week.