CMA Health Policy Blog

We All Lose – If The Supreme Court Strikes Down Health Reform

June 27, 2012 at 7:39 pm Judith Stein Leave a comment

Millions of people will be left with limited or no access to health care if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is overturned. This will include people of all ages − older and disabled people with Medicare, middle class families, children with asthma and other pre-existing conditions, and adults with on-going medical needs. At this time, when family incomes are stretched to the max, many people are unemployed, and fewer jobs provide health insurance, individuals and families all over the country will lose if the Court strikes down Health Care Reform.

Older and disabled people with Medicare will lose access to preventive health care, help paying for life-saving medications, and an annual health visit. Taxpayers will resume overpayments to private Medicare plans. Children with preexisting conditions will again be subject to discrimination by private health insurance companies. People who would have gained access to coverage under ACA, beginning in 2014, will lose out. This includes adults with pre-existing conditions, those with high out-of-pocket costs, and families with moderate incomes. Young adults who, thanks to ACA, have health coverage under their parents’ plans will also be in jeopardy.

In short, if the Court strikes down the law we all lose. The number of people with inadequate or no health insurance will rise – but those same people will still get sick and injured, and require care. And we will all pay, in emergency rooms, unpaid hospital bills, higher premiums – or simply by catching their illnesses.

Let’s hope the Supreme Court recognizes the national interest in making basic health insurance available to all. If it does, we will all feel better.

Entry filed under: Access to Health Care, Health Care Reform, Health Care Reform Repeal, Judith Stein, Medicare, Medicare Reform, Reform, Supreme Court. Tags: Affordable Care Act, Deficit; Medicare, Fact and Fiction, Health Care Reform, Medicare, Medicare Reform, Middle Class, Pre-Existing Conditions, Seniors, Supreme Court.