Florida judge puts temporary hold on healthcare ruling

Judge Roger Vinson has placed a stay on his Jan. 31 decision deeming the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (PPACA) unconstitutional, conditioned on the defendants, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), filing a notice of appeal to the Jan. 31 decision within seven calendar days of March 3.

After the Jan. 31 ruling, the HHS motioned to clarify the decision.

“During the four-plus weeks since entry of my order, the defendants have seemingly continued to move forward and implement the PPACA,” wrote Vinson in the summary. “In their response in opposition to the defendants’ motion, the plaintiffs have asserted that “[i]f the government was not prepared to comply with the court’s judgment, the proper and respectful course would have been to seek an immediate stay, not an untimely and unorthodox motion to clarify.

“While I believe that my order was as clear and unambiguous as it could be, it is possible that the defendants may have perhaps been confused or misunderstood its import.”

The Pensacola, Fla., Federal District Court judge granted the motion for clarification and granted that “the summary declaratory judgment entered in this case is stayed.”

The letter can be found here.