Federal Judge In Muskogee Hears Arguments Against Federal Health Care Law

The federal government says Oklahoma hasn't shown it would suffer harm or damage when provisions of the new health care law take effect next January.

Attorneys for the government made the argument Thursday while asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. U.S. District Judge Ronald White questioned both sides for two hours but did not rule from the bench.

Oklahoma sued over the health care law then amended the lawsuit after the U.S. Supreme Court found the law constitutional. Oklahoma Solicitor General Patrick Wyrick argued that states should be allowed to make their own choices on whether to implement health care policy.

Oklahoma refused to create a state-run health insurance exchange and will instead have an exchange run by the federal government.

Pruitt argues that states with federally run exchanges could be punished under an IRS rule that allows it to levy millions of dollars in tax penalties on "large employers," which include state or local governments.

The motion to dismiss is filed on behalf of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.