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Watching 50 states look for ways to tackle the health insurance mandate issue sounds like a fantastic idea to me.

For many elderly and disabled Americans, staying out of nursing homes and other institutions is crucial to preserving some quality of life. For taxpayers, it’s often cheaper, too. But not always. It’s an area where the needs of families increasingly are conflicting with the needs of states to control costs.

A group of medical boards is recommending that doctors perform 45 common tests less often. Dr. John Santa, director of the health ratings center of Consumer Reports, joins us to discuss the implications for health care and costs.

This week, the big players in American democracy, media players, candidates, politicians, even passionate voters got a lesson in intelligent civic democracy from the quiet intensity of measured debate and smart talk from nine justices and a couple of top notch lawyers. John Hockenberry reflects on the week of debates in the Supreme Court. It wasn't just about the health care law this week, argues Hockenberry. It was the way the Court handled the issue – regardless of your political persuasion. The court made a real point about the value of a civic space free of noise and full of intelligence.

In the biggest Supreme Court cases, Justice Anthony Kennedy, more often that not, is the key swing vote. As the Supreme Court deliberates over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, once again all eyes are on Justice Kennedy. Adam Liptak is the Supreme Court Correspondent for The New York Times.

This week the Supreme Court’s scrutiny of President Obama’s signature piece of legislation dominated the headlines, but it wasn’t the only story out there. Anger over the perceived lack of justice in the Trayvon Martin shooting case continues to sweep the nation, and the controversial film "Bully" got bullied by the ratings board. These stories and more are covered by our panel of Kai Wright, Editor of Colorlines, Ron Christie, Republican political strategist, and Art Caplan of the University of Pennsylvania.

It was 1936, and it had been a difficult few years for President Franklin Roosevelt at the Supreme Court. Congress moved quickly to pass Roosevelt’s New Deal agenda, and the nine justices ruled swiftly to throw much of it out.

“No Supreme Court in history had ever struck down so many laws so quickly,” Jeff Shesol wrote in his 2010 book Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court. “Between 1933 and 1936, the Court overturned acts of Congress at ten times the traditional rate.” 

Avik Roy, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, writes The Apothecary blog on healthcare policy for Forbes, and is livechatting at National Review Online on the Supreme Court healthcare case. He brings us up to speed on today's arguments on the severability issue being heard at the Supreme Court on the Affordable Healthcare Act case.

On the final day of oral arguments before the Supreme Court concerning the constitutionality of the 2010 health care overhaul, questions of “severability” and “coercion” came to the fore.

Although Massachusetts’s health coverage program has been largely seen as a success, there are still considerable disparities in coverage among different demographics, according to Renee Landers, professor of law at Suffolk University. Massachusetts resident Silvia Romero also joins the show to share her story about how the state's health care law came to her aid when she lost health care coverage through her employer.

Yesterday was the second of three days of hearings in the Supreme Court's review of Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The session was devoted to one key question: Is Congress overstepping its Constitutional power by requiring nearly all Americans to carry health insurance? Jeffrey Rosen is back to break it all down for us, and to give us a preview of what will happen in today’s third and final day of hearings. Rosen is professor of law at George Washington University, and he’s been following the arguments closely. He joins us from Washington, D.C.

On the second day of oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate to purchase health insurance, the Supreme Court weighed the federal government’s argument that health care is different from all other products.

This afternoon at 2, Anna Sale and Brian Lehrer hosted a live chat on the Supreme Court hearings. They were joined by The Takeaway host Celeste Headlee, health care reporter Fred Mogul and others to parse out what’s at stake. Read a recap of the live chat below.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is now in the Supreme Court's hands, but it seems that the health care reforms then-Governor Mitt Romney implemented in Massachusetts will continue to haunt the GOP contender for the remainder of the campaign. MIT economist Jonathan Gruber joins us to discuss the economics of health care reform, in Massachusetts and on the national level. Professor Gruber also penned a graphic novel on the subject, titled "Health Care Reform: What It Is, Why It's Necessary, How It Works."

On Monday, as the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of the health care individual mandate, the nine Justices had to answer a question of terminology that’s been debated since 2009: is “Obamacare” a “tax”?

This is the big day. The Court turns its attention to the substantive issues. The parties will be arguing whether the Constitution empowers the federal government to require every person to purchase health insurance.

The Supreme Court begins three days of oral arguments today on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care overhaul. People lined up outside the Supreme Court building in Washington beginning on Friday hoping to get the chance to see the proceedings today. Kathie McClure is a trial lawyer from Atlanta, Georgia, and Reverend Rob Schenck is the President of the National Clergy Council, a network of pastors and denominational leaders.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up Department of Health and Human Services, et al., Petitioners v. Florida, et al., also known as the case testing the constitutionality of the legislative health care overhaul now known as "Obamacare."

This week, we'll be checking in with experts following the case. Leave your questions and we'll do our best to get them answered. 

Next week the Supreme Court will hear Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida, the case that will decide the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, or health insurance reform. The case includes a number of questions about states' rights, federal jurisdiction, and individual liberty. In addition, it shines a spotlight on the institution that will decide the constitutionality of President Obama's signature legislation. 

As the Supreme Court takes up a challenge to the health care overhaul known as "Obamacare," here's what you need to know about the arguments, the mixed court decisions so far, what the Constitution says and a reading list for more information.

Your Questions About the Supreme Court Hearings