Judge clears way for House lawsuit challenging health law

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge cleared the way Wednesday for a legal challenge by congressional Republicans to President Obama's health care law to proceed.

At issue is the more than $175 billion the government is paying health insurance companies over a decade to reimburse them for offering reduced health care co-payments for lower-income people.

The lawsuit was filed last year against the departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury by Republicans frustrated by their inability to torpedo the President's signature heath care law through legislative action.

Under the Affordable Care Act, people with low-to-modest incomes can get help to pay their actual medical costs, such as annual insurance deductibles and co-payments when they go to a doctor or the hospital.

The administration counters that the law gives the Treasury Department authority to pay the cost-sharing subsidies without separate congressional approval.