U.S. Supreme Court Sets March Dates for Obamacare Arguments

The U.S. Supreme Court has set three days in late March for oral arguments in the challenge by Florida and other states to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is better known as Obamacare.

According to Florida's attorney general's office, the nation's top court will:

March 26: "Hear one hour of oral argument on the jurisdictional issue of whether the federal Anti-Injunction Act bars challenges to the individual mandate."

March 27: "Hear two hours of oral argument limited to the issue of whether the individual mandate is constitutional."

March 28, "Hear 90 minutes of oral argument on the issue of severability" and "one hour of oral argument on the constitutionality of the law's substantial expansion of Medicaid."

Florida was joined by 25 states in challenging the act over the constitutionality of requiring nearly every American to buy health insurance by 2014 or face a financial penalty.

The other states are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

A ruling is expected on the sweeping health-care reform effort championed by President Barack Obama in late June, as the presidential and other elections are gearing up for the late summer and fall.