Final answer:
The primary focus of the National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius case was the constitutionality of the ACA, specifically addressing the Medicare expansion and individual mandate. The Court found that the Medicare expansion was permissible, but the federal government could not withhold all Medicare funding for non-participating states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius case primarily focused on the constitutional challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Specifically, the case addressed two key provisions: the expansion of Medicaid and the individual mandate. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that while the Medicaid expansion was constitutionally permissible, the federal government could not entirely withhold Medicaid funding from states opting out of the expansion.
Additionally, the Court held that Congress had the authority to impose the individual mandate, interpreting it as a valid exercise of Congress's power to tax. This landmark decision clarified the constitutional parameters of the ACA, shaping the landscape of healthcare policy and federal-state relations in the United States.