Locals react to health care decision

Supreme Court health care ruling facts

By the Associated Press

What does the ruling mean to me?
The Supreme Court decision upholding President Barack Obama’s health care law affects nearly every American. The law tells almost everyone they must have health coverage and guarantees it will be available to them even if they are already ill or need hugely expensive care. It helps the poor and many middle-class people afford coverage.

What the justices said
The high court upheld almost all of the law, including the most disputed part: the mandate that virtually all Americans have health insurance or pay a fine. The court said that fine is essentially a tax, and that’s why the government has the power to impose it.
The ruling limited the law’s plan to expand the Medicaid insurance program for the poor, a joint effort of the federal government and states. It says the U.S. government cannot withhold a state’s entire Medicaid allotment if it doesn’t participate in the expansion.
Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the court’s four liberal justices — Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor — to form the 5-4 majority.

What now?
The 2010 health care law will keep taking effect. It’s expected to bring coverage to about 30 million uninsured people. Overall, more than nine in 10 eligible Americans will be covered.
Some parts are already in effect: Young adults can stay on their parents’ insurance up to age 26. Insurers can’t deny coverage to children with health problems. Limits on how much policies will pay out to each person over a lifetime are eliminated. Hundreds of older people already are saving money through improved Medicare prescription benefits. And co-payments for preventive care for all ages have been eliminated.

What’s next?
Starting in 2014, almost everyone will be required to be insured or pay a fine. There are subsidies to help people who can’t afford coverage. Most employers will face fines if they don’t offer coverage for their workers. Newly created insurance markets will make it easier for individuals and small businesses to buy affordable coverage. And Medicaid will be expanded to cover more low-income people.
Insurers will be prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more. They won’t be able to charge women more, either. During the transition to 2014, a special program for people with pre-existing health problems helps these people get coverage.
An assortment of tax increases, health industry fees and Medicare cuts will help pay for the changes.

Still, not everyone will be covered
An estimated 26 million people will remain without coverage once the law is fully implemented, including illegal immigrants, people who don’t sign up and choose to face the fines instead, and those who can’t afford it even with the subsidies. That number could be higher, depending on whether any states refuse the Medicaid expansion.

The taxing truth
When the law was before Congress, Obama and Democrats avoided calling its penalty for going uninsured a “tax.” But the administration argued before the Supreme Court that the law was constitutional as a federal tax. The court rejected two other Obama administration arguments for the law but accepted the tax one.
In 2016, after the law is fully in place, about 4 million people will pay the penalty to the Internal Revenue Service for being uninsured, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated. They would pay $695 per uninsured adult or 2.5 percent of family income, up to $12,500 per year.
The IRS can’t prosecute violators or place liens against them, however. Its only enforcement option may be withholding money from refunds.

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June 29, 2012

Locals react to health care decision

Brian Smith CNHI The Weatherford Democrat Fri Jun 29, 2012, 08:00 AM CDT

PARKER COUNTY — Thursday’s Supreme Court decision upholding health care reform had local people not surprised but also saying this isn’t end the of the story.

State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, said the U.S. has taken “a tragic step toward socialism today when the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare’s individual mandate.” Despite the court’s verdict, King encouraged residents to not be discouraged.

The Supreme Court decision is one of two hurdles the law must clear. Most of the items involved in the health care bill don’t take effect until 2014, well after November’s national elections. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republican House and Senate leaders have vowed to repeal the health care law if they win at the polls.

In King’s eyes, voters can also decide if the law stands.

“We can change everything in November,” King said. “It is more important than ever that we elect conservatives at all levels: local, state and federal. Please join us as we fight to uphold the Constitution and the liberties it was intended to ensure all Americans.”

Randall Young, CEO of Parker County Hospital District, said he wasn’t surprised by the court’s decision. “I wasn’t expecting them to throw the entire thing out or piecemeal the plan back together,” Young said. “Just because it’s not a great idea doesn’t mean it’s unconstitutional.”

Young said the courts make everyone have liability insurance for their cars, so requiring people to have health insurance isn’t the first time this has happened.

Personally, Young is not in favor of the law, but professionally he sees how the law could have merit to some Parker County residents.

“If it will help pay for some things that residents in Parker County need, then I’m in favor of it,” Young said. “Doctors will be receiving less in reimbursement, however, which the public will be paying for one way or another.”

Many local entities were unsure how it would effect them right now.

The law:

• Forbids health insurers from using pre-existing conditions to deny coverage to anyone or to charge people with pre-existing conditions unrealistic rates. The law establishes federally-funded high-risk pools for people with such conditions.

• Family plans must cover adult dependents up to age 26.

• Small businesses with more than 50 fulltime workers would have to provide coverage to their employees or face expensive fines.

• Chain restaurants would need to list calories under every menu item.

For more on the ruling, see the box below.