U.S. Supreme Court justices lean toward insurers over Obamacare claims

U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday appeared sympathetic to claims made by health insurers seeking $12 billion from the federal government under a program set up by the Obamacare law aimed at encouraging them to offer medical coverage to previously uninsured Americans.

The justices heard a one-hour oral argument over a challenge by a group of insurers of a lower court's ruling that Congress had suspended the government's obligation to make such payments. The insurers have said that ruling if allowed to stand, would let the government pull a "bait-and-switch" and withhold money the companies were promised.