Wisconsin no longer part of multistate lawsuit seeking repeal of Affordable Care Act

MADISON — Wisconsin is no longer a part of a multistate lawsuit seeking repeal of the federal health care law passed under then-President Barack Obama.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday granted the request from Democratic Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to withdraw from the case. A federal judge in Texas last week removed Wisconsin from the underlying case.

However, until the appeals court acted Wisconsin was not fully withdrawn.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Kaul ran on the promise of removing Wisconsin from the lawsuit. Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, an opponent to the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare, approved Wisconsin joining the lawsuit.

Kaul was able to remove the state after a court struck down a Republican-passed law that required the Legislature to sign off on withdrawing from lawsuits.