Supreme Court Upholds Federal Health Care Law
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court largely upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Now, local and state officials are scrambling to digest the ruling and comply with upcoming deadlines. Maryland and the District have already spent millions setting up the insurance exchanges mandated by the law. Virginia, which challenged the law in federal court, will have to accelerate preparations. We get local reactions to the Supreme Court ruling.
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Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) responded to a caller's question about whether there is real potential for a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Harris said the law would be repealed if presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney wins the election and if Republicans gain a simple majority in the House of Representatives in November. Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler said Republicans are in a "political conundrum" because Americans will have had more exposure to the law by 2013, making it more difficult for them to repeal the measure.
Supreme Court Decision On Health Care Reform
The full text of the Supreme Court opinion in National Federation of Independent Business et al. vs. Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services et al.:
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Hello,
We are a family of three (my husband, myself and our 3 year old toddler). We currently self pay our health insurance, because we do not get it in our work.
We are a young couple and pay $520USD per month. Could we expect more affordable prices with the new health care law? when will this happen?
Thank you,
Gabriela
Rockville, Maryland
Just as we arrived at destination, you had a caller -- a naturalized American citizen from India who lives in Massachusetts.
She asked what seemed to be a straightforward question, approximately:
Will members of Congress still get free health insurance?; or Will members of Congress now have to pay like the rest of us?
You digressed without addressing her actual question.
She should be told that Senators and Representatives DO NOT get free or fully subsidized health insurance, as many people think.
In fact, Members of Congress have a choice of being in the SAME FEHB (or other) health insurance plans as all other Federal employees.
All Federal employees choose from pools of insurance providers and pay a share of their health care.
SEE: http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/rates/nonpostalffs2012.pdf - Premiums for different health care plans
Too many people believe the lies spread by some about federal health care. Please take opportunities to clarify these issues.
I looked for a transcript, whatever, of the whole show, but don't have time to look further. Thanks for always doing a great job on the show.