Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is suing the federal government over what DeWine calls an unconstitutional health care tax levied on state and local governments.
The lawsuit filed Monday argues there's no precedent allowing the collection of $6.25 million last year from government entities and nothing in the federal health care law that allows such a tax.
At issue is a provision in the law permitting tax assessments against health insurance companies and certain employers who offer self-insured group health plans to help keep premiums affordable.
DeWine, a Republican, says the lawsuit is a follow-up to a Jan. 8 letter sent to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell protesting the tax.
The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment.
