Editorial Boards Warn of Disastrous Ramifications From Affordable Care Act Ruling
December 18, 2018
Editorial boards across the country are warning that millions could lose their health care coverage following a Texas judge ruling in favor of a Republican-backed and Trump-supported lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. See below:
Houston Chronicle: “If Obamacare is struck down, despite having been declared constitutional twice before by the Supreme Court, that could spell disaster for millions in Texas and beyond.”
Los Angeles Times: “By handing a victory to 18 Republican state attorneys general and two Republican governors, however, the judge has threatened to put healthcare out of reach for millions of lower-income Americans, undo important insurance reforms and toss out federal efforts to improve the cost and quality of care.”
St. Louis Dispatch: “Last week’s ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional may yet be reversed on appeal. But that shouldn’t let Republicans off the hook for endangering the health care of millions of Americans, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions.”
MassLive: “After a conservative judge has gone ahead and done what the Republican Congress was unable to do, the once-Grand Old Party will own this issue. Which is why congressional Republicans are mostly saying a whole lot of nothing.”
Baltimore Sun: “Of course, those subsidies, which helped about 9.8 million people afford health insurance this year, are at risk in this lawsuit. So is the expansion of Medicaid eligibility to more adults, which resulted in about 15 million more people getting coverage, even though many Republican-controlled states refused to participate.”
The News-Times: “The health coverage of millions of people, to say nothing of protection for people with pre-existing conditions, is now in question.”
San Francisco Chronicle: “The voters have made it clear they want the ACA to survive — partially by voting overwhelmingly for Democrats in the midterm elections, and partially by approving Medi-Cal expansions in multiple states.”
Tampa Bay Times: “Florida led the nation in sign-ups with nearly 1 million residents obtaining coverage. The total would have been higher if the Trump administration had not tried to sabotage the law.”
Bloomberg Opinion: “For the moment, nothing will change. The ACA will stand while appeals are filed, probably until the case reaches the Supreme Court. The new ruling may well be overthrown, but those who depend on the ACA are left stranded in uncertainty. The timing could hardly be worse. Enrollment in individual insurance is already down this year, and the population of uninsured Americans stands to rise.”
Granite Falls Advocate Tribune: “To those who need ‘Obamacare,’ try to enjoy your holiday season while not knowing how long you and your family will have health insurance.”