The Latest: Tagged 'scotus'

Photo by s_falkow via Flickr Creative Commons

The Supreme Court upheld the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care reform in a landmark 5-4 ruling on Thursday.

The Affordable Care Act, to go into effect over the next several years, will affect the way many Americans receive and pay for personal medical care.

Reactions to the ruling will be updated throughout the day.

View the story "Supreme Court upholds heart of Obama health care law" on StorifySupreme Court upholds heart of Obama health care lawReactions from politicians, pundits, public figures, spokespeople, academics, experts and other officials on the landmark ruling. Updated throughout the day. :: [Full story at KPCC.org] Storified by Lisa Brenner · Thu, Jun 28 2012 14:03:53President Barack Obama's Twitter account praised his own in getting the health care reformed.Presidents tried to pass health care reform for decades—and this one got it done. http://OFA.BO/cDni5s #progressBarack ObamaAnd Mitt Romney's Twitter account responded.If we want to get rid of Obamacare, we’re going to have to replace @BarackObama http://mi.tt/LRkjqe #FullRepealMitt RomneyAnd closer to home, state politicians talked about how this would affect Californians. Judy Chu, Democratic Congresswoman of El Monte told KPCC's Kitty Felde: "Californians will be able to get 15 billion dollars more through expanded Medicaid coverage as well as subsidies for the uninsured."

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer issued a press release, stating:

“The decision is great news for the millions of Californians who have already seen the benefits of this law – including the six million who now have access to free preventive health services, 355,000 young adults who now have coverage on their parents’ health plans and 320,000 seniors who have received help in paying for their prescription drugs.

Today's Supreme Court ruling removes the last roadblock to fulfilling President Obama's historic plan to bring health care to millions.Jerry BrownHistoric Supreme Court decision means access to affordable health insurance is finally a reality for Californians. http://bit.ly/LRyBHfSen Dianne FeinsteinToday's ruling means insurance companies can no longer deny health insurance based on pre-existing conditions. #HCR http://bit.ly/LRyBHfSen Dianne FeinsteinOn Airtalk, Holly Mitchell, Democratic Assemblymember for California’s 47th district and Chair, Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services:

"I am thrilled as a Californian. This is gives us a unique opportunity to provide health care to our residents."

In Los Angeles, Bill Fujioka got excited, and other local politicians praised how the Affordable Care Act would affect Angelenos.SCOTUS decision today will allow LA County to take the steps necessary to secure a robust health care safety net for all County residents.Bill FujiokaLA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas by KPCCLA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas says he was out walking when he heard the news about the ruling this morning - and that his walk ...
There were plenty of local (and national) critics, as well.

Congressman David Dreier (R-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee issued the following statement:

“Today’s ruling makes clear what many of us have said all along – the flawed healthcare law represents one of the largest tax increases in American history. As our economy continues to struggle, we need to be reducing the tax burden on small businesses and working families, not increasing it. We must redouble our efforts to repeal and replace this law with patient-centered reforms that will reduce costs and help the American people meet their healthcare needs. I will be supporting the House’s efforts to do so in the coming weeks.”

#ObamaCareInThreeWords --> No new taxes? #FullRepealKevin McCarthyThe House will vote to fully repeal Obamacare on July 11.Eric CantorObama lied to the American people. Again. He said it wasn't a tax. Obama lies; freedom dies.Sarah PalinToday’s ruling by the Supreme Court underscores the urgency of #fullrepeal of #ObamaCare http://j.mp/LFJTni #4jobsSpeaker John Boehner

Local doctors and clinicians told KPCC how the ruling would change how they serve the un-insured.

Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St John's Well Child and Family Center"Health care should be for all," says the president and CEO of St. John's.Louise McCarthy, president and CEO of the community clinic association of LA County representing patients served by 47 organizations at 135 sites across LA was overjoyed.

"We were absolutely elated to hear the news form the supreme cout this morning that the affordable care act had been upheld."

Louise McCarthy, head of Community Clinic Association of LA County by KPCCLouise McCarthy, president and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of LA County representing nearly 1 million patients served by 47 o...Dr. Paul Phinney, President-Elect of the California Medical Association, on Airtalk:

"From the doctors standpoint we are very much about people getting healthcare they need both on the preventive and when they suffer an acute or chronic illness…The ACA goes a long way towards helping expand coverage and achieve those goals."

Diana Dooley, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services agency by KPCCDiana Dooley, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services agency, reacts to the health care ruling.Of particular concern to many Californians, Shana Lavaredda, director of Health Insurance Studies, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research told Airtalk the act and ruling would not change things for undocumented residents, but there were other options.

"Undocumented residents will not be able to access either of those provisions [MediCal or the Exchange Program]. In California we do have some emergency MediCal services for undocumented already and we have our safety net where they are getting their care."

Ed Hernandez, democratic state senator, also had concerns. He told The Madeleine Brand Show finding more providers would be a big challenge.

“We will have a shortage of providers and we need to make sure that we increase our work force to get as many primary care providers in the areas that are needed the most. And we have a huge distribution problem right now , especially in the rural areas and especially in the inner city and communities of color."

Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist; former senior Obama advisor in 2008, now runs the Los Angeles office for the Dewey Square Group. He told Airtalk he's not sure anything at all is different.

: "I dont think this changes all that much. I don't think this drastically helps or hurts either candidate. I think there are positive and negatives."

"I think John Roberts might want to take a long vacation somewhere in Madagascar or somewhere where he can be fairly anonymous for the next few months."

"I'm not sure this changes all that much, I know legally its a big deal… I think there are positives and negatives for each one… It's a mildly unpopular bill, I think it's probably going to remain the same. At the end of the day, It's important to win. Americans like winners and they don't like losers. He won today. He's going to take a victory lap around that, he should. I don't think it changes the politics all that much, because i think most people feel the way they feel about healthcare reform, they felt that way yesterday and they felt that way today."

And for a little fun, a look at some....interesting media coverage:

Obama with his Truman moment: http://yfrog.com/hw7ozrfjGeoffrey SkelleyThere was some confusion in the CNN camp when the decision was initially misreported...Correction: The Supreme Court backs all parts of President Obama’s health care law. http://on.cnn.com/LvVRcKCNN Breaking NewsSupreme Court strikes down individual mandate portion of health care law. http://on.cnn.com/LvVRcKCNN Breaking News