Obamacare 2
Supporters of the Affordable Care Act celebrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington in 2012 after the court upheld the law almost in its entirety. Reuters

Opponents of health-care reform lost another round in the federal courts last week. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago tossed out a lawsuit filed by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons that sought to stop the Internal Revenue Service from enforcing the penalty provisions of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, Courthouse News reported.

The 7th Circuit said Friday the association could not sue on behalf of others. Courthouse News said the decision is more significant than rulings based solely on procedural concerns and represents a blow to Obamacare opponents.

“Only persons seeking to advance the interests protected by the mandatory-insurance portions of the Affordable Care Act would have a plausible claim to relief,” appellate Judge Frank H. Easterbrook wrote. “Yet plaintiffs, who do not accept insured patients, want to reduce rather than increase the number of persons who carry health insurance.”

Easterbrook said the court would rather further the act’s goals than strike it down.

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