Supporters Of Subsidy Challenge Could Win Case But Lose Politically
If Republican backers of the challenge are successful, they will come under pressure to help the millions of Americans who would lose their federal subsidies and their coverage, reports The Associated Press. But Democrats could also face political consequences, if the administration prevails with the court.
The Associated Press:
Health Law Court Case Winner Could Be Political Loser
The party that wins the impending Supreme Court decision on President Barack Obama's health care law could be the political loser. If the Republican-backed challenge to the law's subsidies for lower-earning Americans prevails, the GOP would have achieved a paramount goal of severely damaging "Obamacare." But Republican lawmakers would be pressured to help the millions of Americans who could suddenly find government-mandated medical coverage unaffordable — and they'd face blame from many voters if they failed to provide assistance. ... Should the Obama administration win, ... some say they'd have lost a potentially powerful cudgel for the 2016 campaigns. (Fram, 5/27)
Huffington Post:
Here's How Many People In Each State May Not Be Able To Afford Insurance If The Supreme Court Rules Against Obamacare
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision in a major new lawsuit against Obamacare this June, and the health coverage for millions hangs in the balance. ... If the Supreme Court rules for the plaintiffs in this case, it would eliminate health insurance subsidies for 7.5 million low- and moderate-income people in those states, causing most of them to become uninsured when their premiums become unaffordable without financial assistance. Here's how the numbers break down in each state with a federally operated health insurance exchange. (Young, 5/28)
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's "Hobby Lobby" decision may be aiding the White House in the most recent cases about the contraceptive mandate -
The Washington Post:
White House Has Been Aided Recently By Ruling In Contraceptives Case
When a split Supreme Court last June exempted some companies from providing female employees with some contraceptive coverage because of the employers’ religious objections, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sounded the alarm. The 5-to-4 decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby was one of “startling breadth,” Ginsburg wrote. ... But in what many expect to be the next major test of the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate — a challenge over whether the government has done enough to accommodate the objections of religiously affiliated nonprofit organizations such as universities, hospitals and charities — the Hobby Lobby decision so far has aided the Obama administration. (Barnes, 5/27)