What Changes Will Survive the Supreme Court?
The countdown to the Supreme Court's decision in the health care case is on. Chief Justice John Roberts said Monday that the justices would be issuing rulings in the remaining cases on Thursday, which means, barring some extraordinary circumstance, that we will know then whether the Affordable Care Act will stand, fall, or move forward in some partial form.
The health care law would usher in a large reorganization of how many Americans get health insurance and of how Medicare pays providers for the care they offer seniors. In many important ways, the future of health care in this country will depend on what the Court decides. But in the two years since the law passed, insurers, providers and state governments have already begun making big changes. Which of those changes do you think will live on, regardless of the future of the health care law?
June 29, 2012 12:07 PM
Americans Have Good Oppoortunity
By Meghan McCarthy
Health Reporter
The following post comes from Donna E. Shalala, former HHS Secretary and University of Miami President:
The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the individual mandate as a tax will open up the opportunity for good health insurance for millions of Americans and will protect those of us with good health insurance from continuing to pay for their emergency care.
Now the real work begins. Under the supreme court ruling those states that want to expand their Medicaid plans will be able to do so. All the states, whether required or not, will be under enormous pressure from the healthcare providers and institutions in their communities not to walk away from millions of dollars that will offset their current charity care.
Every American who has health insurance will gain from this decision because the cost shifting to them from the millions that don’t have health insurance will begin to be phased out. I expect increases in healthcare costs to slow down.