Obama's healthcare law appealed to Supreme Court

The Obama administration on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to back the centerpiece of Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul - the requirement that all Americans have health insurance.

The appeal was largely expected as a high court ruling against the law could be a fatal blow to the president's signature domestic policy achievement and could have major implications for his re-election bid.

The same day the administration filed its appeal, 26 states and a major business group urged the justices to strike down the entire law, which would have a far-reaching impact on future healthcare coverage for Americans and company costs.

The case is likely to be heard and decided in the Supreme Court's upcoming term that begins next week and lasts through June 2012. A ruling is likely in the midst of the campaign for the November 2012 elections.

The administration and the opponents of the law called for a quick ruling by the high court to resolve uncertainty affecting the federal government, states and companies about the law's key provisions that are taking effect.

The 26 states and National Federation of Independent Business argued in their appeals the entire law should be invalidated because Congress exceeded its powers requiring that Americans buy health insurance or face a penalty.

The Obama administration filed its own appeal in which the Justice Department argued the so-called individual mandate, due to take effect in 2014, was constitutional and said the issue was appropriate for Supreme Court review.

"Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed," the Justice Department said.

Supreme Court asked to rule on health care The constitutional clash over President Obama's national health-care law moved closer to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, when both the administration and Republican state attorneys general, including Washington's Rob McKenna, separately asked the justices to hand down a verdict early next year.

Both sides in the legal battle cut short their time for filing their appeal petitions, and both said they are eager for a final ruling.

"This health-care law is an affront on Americans' individual liberty," said Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who asked the high court to strike down the entire law, not just its mandate that all Americans have health insurance. "This case is paramount in our history and will define the boundaries of Congress' power as set forth in our Constitution."

The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling in August on the lawsuit filed by Florida and Republican officials in 25 other states, struck down the mandate as unconstitutional but upheld the rest of the law.