States sue government over Medicare program

? Texas and four other states sued the federal government Friday, alleging they are being forced to help fund the new Medicare prescription drug program in violation of the Constitution.

In the lawsuit filed in U.S. Supreme Court, Texas Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott argued that states should not have to relinquish taxpayer dollars for a program offered by the federal government.

He called the funding system “a direct tax upon Texas and other states in violation of the U.S. Constitution.”

The attorneys general of Kentucky, Maine, Missouri and New Jersey joined in the lawsuit.

Ten other states – including Kansas – filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the case.