Supreme Court Upholds Health Reform Law
June 28, 2012 -- The health care reform law will remain the law of the land.
The Supreme Court, in a nuanced ruling, has upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) as constitutional.
Health Care Reform Showdown
The Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act. Â Understand the key issues.
The controversial law, which fulfills a promise to provide universal health care for all Americans, has been President Obama's signature legislation in office.
In its 5-4 ruling, the court said the law will stand, with Chief Justice John Roberts voting in the majority.
The centerpiece of the law, the individual mandate, has been upheld under the federal government's taxing authority.
The court has limited the part of the act that would have expanded the coverage to uninsured Americans through Medicaid.
Supreme Court's Decision
The decision came as a surprise to some health policy experts, as the court had rigorously questioned a number of the law's provisions during three days of arguments in March. One of the most contentious issues was the individual mandate, which will require all Americans to purchase health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty if they fail to do so.
The court's ruling, however, does not mean an end to efforts to overturn or weaken the law. Opponents and supporters alike have been working on how to respond after the ruling. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has said Republicans will bring a vote on the law to the House floor, calling for its repeal.
But for now, health insurance coverage will continue for the millions of Americans who gained it since the health reform law was passed in March 2010. Millions more are supposed to join them beginning in January 2014, when the law's requirement that nearly all Americans have health insurance coverage takes effect.
WebMD talked with health care experts about how the landmark decision will impact health care consumers.
What are some changes that have already taken place because of the law?
About 3.1 million young adults gained health insurance through a provision that allows them to stay on their parents' policies until age 26. In addition, nearly 62,000 Americans with pre-existing health conditions, who would otherwise be uninsurable, gained coverage through the government's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans (PCIPs). Those enrolled will be able to stay in the program until it expires in 2014. At that time, they'll be eligible to buy health insurance through state-based insurance marketplaces scheduled to be up and running by fall 2013.
Other consumer protections already in effect include:
- The right to appeal an insurer's decision
- Preventive care with no co-pay
- Guaranteed insurance coverage for children under the age of 19 with pre-existing conditions
- Drug discounts for people on Medicare
- No more lifetime limits on health insurance spending
- Review of suspected unreasonable insurance rate increases
- The requirement that insurance companies spend at least 80% of the money they collect on medical expenses (this 80/20 rule so far means 12.8 million Americans will participate in $1.1 billion in rebates from insurance companies this summer, according to the HHS)
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