DeWine files lawsuit challenging health care law

A lawsuit was filed this morning by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office in federal court in Cincinnati, challenging the section of the Affordable Care Act under which state and local governments are assessed fees to fund the health care law’s transitional reinsurance program.

Attorney General Mike DeWine said his office, with Warren County and four public universities in Ohio filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court challenging the law.

DeWine said the lawsuit was filed Monday after the Obama administration failed to respond to letters sent challenging the fees and calling for refund of the funds paid by state and local governments under the law.

“As a result, we had no choice but to file our lawsuit today to protect Ohio taxpayers from this unprecedented federal overreach,” DeWine said. “To put this simply, governments don’t tax other governments.”

Warren County paid $93,000 under protest and brought the case to DeWine’s attention.