WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) - It was chaos at the court as the decision of the year was rushed to TV cameras and the nation. The affordable Health Care Act upheld 5 to 4.
Chief Justice John Roberts broke with fellow conservatives and joined liberal justices to declare the so called "individual mandate" constitutional.
He ruled the penalty in the law for not buying insurance amounts to a tax.
"Because the constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it", Roberts wrote.
Conservatives were enraged.
"This is clearly a turning point day in American history," said Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) Minnesota.
"This is basically a complete win for the administration. Their heart and soul of this statute is the ind mandate," said Tom Goldstein SCOTUSblog analyst.
It is a huge political win for President Obama, but he ticked off the benefits to citizens: guaranteed coverage, even with pre-existing conditions, no more dollar caps on coverage, and he praised the justices.
"They've reaffirmed fundamental that here in America the wealthiest nation in earth ...no illness or accident should lead to any family's financial ruin," said President Obama.
Democrats in Congress are ecstatic.
"We now know that healthcare is legal, constitutional, undeniable and irreversible!," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) Maryland.
Mitt Romney vowed he would get it repealed.
"This is time for choice for the American people. Our mission is clear: If we want to get rid of Obamacare we're gonna have to replace President Obama," said Mitt Romney, Presidential Candidate.
Republicans in Congress will not wait.
"I've scheduled a vote for total repeal of Obamacare bill to occur on Wednesday July 11th," said Rep. Eric Cantor (R) Virginia.
President Obama says the ruling ought to mean moving forward to implement his health care law.