Last week, the United States Supreme Court upheld a crucial part of the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. The case, King vs. Burwell, was the second time President Obama's signature domestic policy achievement faced potential defeat in the high court, but the justices voted 6-3 to keep the law in place as it is.
This is a significant win for the White House, but it will also have major consequences, some negative but mostly positive, for generations of Americans to come. While the decision of the court might be controversial for many, for others it is a relief.
Here are a few reasons this ruling was so important:
- Consumer protection: If the Supreme Court had voted in opposition, those who use federal health care subsidies in states without a marketplace set up would have lost their coverage. Of the nearly 7 million people who receive Obamacare subsidies, approximately 70% of them would not be able to afford to keep their coverage.
- Doctors: A major part of Obamacare is the idea that, if people have insurance they will go to the doctor more often, catching diseases earlier and reducing overall costs. With more people fully covered for out-of-pocket expenses, this will mean more business for health care providers.
- Insurance market: A conservative decision from the court would have thrown the entire insurance marketplace into chaos. The people who would be most likely to keep their plans are the oldest and sickest citizens, meaning there would be no young people to pay into the system, making it unsustainable once again.
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