According to theruling, there's no “plausible inference” at this point that theadministration “will cease enforcement of part or all of the ACA.”(Photo: Shutterstock)

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by the state of Maryland seeking aruling that the Affordable Care Act is lawful even without thetax penalty once tied to it.

The decision has no immediate impact on a law, commonly known asObamacare, that President Donald Trump has unsuccessfully sought to abolish. In a separate case that'snow on appeal, a Texas judge in December agreed with a coalitionof Republican states that President Barack Obama's signaturehealth-care overhaul should be scrapped because Congress removedthe penalty for not having insurance.

Related: Trump admin announces another round of ACAtweaks

U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander on Friday rejected the suitin a 47-page decision, saying the claims are speculative and thatthe alleged harms to the state “flow from concerns about a decisionthat the Trump administration has not made and may never make.”

“The president's profound disdain for the ACA cannot beseriously disputed,” she said. Yet there's no “plausible inference”at this point that the administration “will cease enforcement ofpart or all of the ACA.”

The Texas judge added uncertainty to the U.S. health-care systemand strengthened the divide between Democrats who have fought tokeep the law in place and Republicans who have sought to do awaywith the act. The judge put his ruling on hold until the appeal isresolved, and the White House said it will enforce the ACA untilthen.

The Maryland case had attracted attention after the state soughtto disqualify Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker fromparticipating because he wasn't confirmed by the Senate.

Hollander said she may allow Maryland to bring the suit lateron.

“We will resume this litigation immediately if the presidentbreaks his promise of continued enforcement or when the stay of theTexas court's decision is lifted,” Maryland Attorney General BrianFrosh said in a statement.

The case is Maryland v U.S., 18-cv-2849, U.S. District Court,District of Maryland.

Read more:

• Trump, states to square off on association healthplans
• McConnell defends Texas ACA lawsuit, looks forward to new repeal efforts
• Maryland seeks to tax insurers to protect ACAmarket

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