This morning the Supreme Court upheld a key component to Obama’s proposed health care law (the 2010 Affordable Care Act), stating that almost all Americans must maintain health coverage or face a penalty on their taxes.
In a 5-4 decision, the court made it possible for the overhaul on health care in the U.S. to move forward as it it attempts to secure coverage for over 30 million uninsured American.
Chief Justice John Roberts announced the judgment claiming, “Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness,”.
Despite the ruling, one aspect of the Affordable Care Act that was found unconstitutional is the sanction imposed on states which fail to expand Medicaid to the poor. The court found that the federal governments does have the authority to give states grants with strings attached, but in this instance, they were telling them they had to expand Medicaid or lose funding for the whole program.
The expansion of the law can proceed, but the sanction against states who decide not to take part is struck down. Meaning, the entire act is upheld with the one exception regarding the federal government’s power to terminate states’ Medicaid funds.
That’s the news on the Affordable Care Act for now. The Supreme Court mostly upholds the key aspects of the law and it can beginning moving forward. We’ll keep you updated as news rolls in and we get reactions from the Democratic and Republican parties.
