Possible Obamacare Supreme Court Decision Fallout: Rush To Care
Other repercussions could include financial stress on many consumers, a tricky Republican transition to make changes to the health care system and new limits that stop states from shrinking their Medicaid rolls.
The Charlotte Observer:
Rush For Care Could Result If Supreme Court Ends N.C. Subsidies
If the Supreme Court strikes down Affordable Care Act subsidies later this month, we can expect financial and political turmoil to ripple through the next several months. But one reaction could come quickly: A rush on doctor’s offices. Almost 459,000 North Carolinians get federal aid to buy health insurance. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell and that money goes away, their monthly premiums will increase by an average of more than 300 percent, according to recent federal data. (Helms, 6/10)
MarketWatch:
Obamacare Faces Supreme Test
Mary Johnson has boosted her savings in recent months, and raised extra cash by selling produce from her garden. Naturally thrifty, the 63-year-old self-employed writer from Virginia has become even thriftier in anticipation of a decision originating some 100 miles northeast of her home in rural Barboursville. ... The case challenges the validity of the premium subsidies that consumers receive in some 34 states where the federal government is operating the insurance marketplace under Obamacare. Virginia is one of those states. If the justices side with King, Johnson stands to lose the monthly $288 subsidy that lowers the cost of her gold-level health plan. (O'Brien, 6/11)
The Nashville Tennessean:
ACA Win Would Set Republicans Up For Tricky Transition
In June 2012, the nation was awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States ("SCOTUS") on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. NFIB v. Sebelius was the case. In June 2015 the nation, once again, awaits. This year, the case is King v. Burwell. Conservatives see it as the last chance to stop ObamaCare. Liberals see it as the last hurdle in the nation's pursuit of universal health insurance.
The stakes are high. SCOTUS commentators see the case as a toss-up. Health insurance for 8 million Americans hangs in the balance. (Cowart, 6/10)
Politico Pro:
Supreme Court’s Obamacare Decision Could Hit Medicaid Programs
A Supreme Court decision striking Obamacare subsidies in federal-run exchanges could come with a significant and unanticipated side effect — renewed limits preventing states from cutting their Medicaid rolls. (Pradhan, 6/10)