ACA uncertainty
Congress must act to protect American people
While a little late to the task, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a third bid to declare the Affordable Care Act null and void.
The Trump administration has entered the fray, on the side of Texas officials who argue that former President Barack Obama’s signature achievement in office is now unconstitutional. That argument — that the law cannot survive without the tax penalty tied to its mandate that individuals have health insurance — was upheld by a Texas appeals court.
It’s time for Congress to act, as only it can, to protect the American people from the disruption of the decade-old law’s precarious state. The Texas ruling, reports of the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming review of it and the Trump administration’s stance against the law known as Obamacare all weigh on the stability of health markets. They do so by creating a per-ception among people seeking health insurance that the law and its key protections — for those with pre-existing conditions, those relying on its subsidies and more — might be in jeopardy.
Players in the economy, from businesses affected by its coverage mandates to insurers providing coverage on exchanges, also face an uncertain future.
Health coverage markets are affected, too, given that 8.3 million people — including nearly 200,000 in Ohio, more than 262,000 in Michigan and more than 330,000 in Pennsylvania — signed up for 2020 coverage on an Affordable Care Act exchange.
President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have been promising since the law passed in 2010 to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with something better.
While voting numerous times to repeal it during Mr. Obama’s tenure, no GOP replacement plan came amid two previous arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court seeking the law’s repeal.
As is the case now, people were relying on the law’s protections for health coverage, it was in danger of being struck down by a court, and Congress did nothing.
The trend continued amid GOP control of Congress during the first two years of Mr. Trump’s term.
Congress’ failure to act to protect the health care system we have persists today. Whatever its flaws, the percentage of uninsured Americans has decreased dramatically since Obamacare took full effect in 2014 — falling from 13.3% in 2013 to 8.5% in 2018.
While it will be harder now, thanks to divided government in Washington, there is no excuse for not securing the system we have until a new plan can be passed.