Advocacy group: 237,000 Michiganians getting US subsidies for health insurance OK for now

An advocacy group for the poor says that the 237,000 Michigan residents who are getting subsidies for health insurance under the federal health law shouldn't feel any immediate effect from one court's ruling against the program.

A divided panel of the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled Tuesday that the law authorizes tax credits only for people who buy insurance through state-established markets. Michigan's program relies on the federal health exchange.

Later Tuesday, a federal appeals court in Virginia reached the opposite conclusion.

The Michigan League for Public Policy says it's confident the law will be upheld.

Democrat Mark Totten criticized Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette for backing the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act. Schuette says Congress should "get the IRS out" of the health care system.