"We believe the public interest is best served by live television coverage of this particular oral argument," C-SPAN chief executive Brian Lamb said Tuesday in a letter  to Chief Justice John Roberts. "It is a case which affects every American's life, our economy, and will certainly be an issue in the upcoming presidential campaign."

The Supreme Court has never allowed televised arguments. It releases transcripts for every case and audio recordings of high-profile arguments.

Lamb said allowing TV coverage of the healthcare arguments could be a one-time exception.