Â鶹ŮÓÅ

A federal appeals court blocked parts of a Missouri law that sharply restricted actions of people who help others obtain insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, in a case that supporters hope could affect similar state laws across the country. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on Friday ruled that challengers to the law were likely to succeed in their arguments that Missouri had improperly tried to impede the federal government’s efforts to implement the health-care overhaul. (Radnofsky, 4/10)

A federal appeals court in St. Louis has ruled that Missouri and other states cannot limit the ability of insurance navigators to help consumers sign up for coverage through HealthCare.gov, the government-run online exchange. ... Claiming the law was unconstitutional, consumer and advocacy groups — including St. Louis Effort for AIDs, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri — filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Jefferson City. (Liss, April 10)

An appeals court ruled Friday that Missouri can't limit health insurance navigators' ability to help people obtain insurance under President Barack Obama's health care law — a ruling that advocates say could have implications for other states that have instituted similar restrictions. The 8th Circuit Court in St. Louis blocked some parts of a Missouri law that limits the information certified counselors authorized by the health care law could give people seeking health insurance. However, the court said the state can institute licensure requirements for navigators and counselors. (French, 4/10)

States that opted to use the federal health insurance marketplace instead of establishing one of their own can’t restrict the ability of certified navigators to help consumers, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit largely affirms an earlier ruling by a federal district court that blocked implementation of a Missouri law. (McLean, 4/10)