Families USA Statement on Health Reform Lawsuit Hearing in Richmond

Pollack: Affordable Care Act "Ultimately Will Be Upheld in Its Entirety"

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today heard oral arguments in Richmond, Virginia, on two legal challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—Commonwealth of Virginia  v. Sebelius and Liberty University v. Geithner. The following is the reaction of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, to today’s hearing:

“Based on the oral argument in court today, it seems highly likely that the three-judge court will uphold the Affordable Care Act's individual responsibility provision. Like most federal district court decisions so far, it appears that the challenges to the new law will be rejected.

“By upholding this provision and rejecting the politically motivated lawsuit, the judges are protecting insurance purchasers from paying much higher premiums to cover the health care costs of those who refuse to buy health insurance and don't pay for the health care they inevitably receive.

“The Virginia attorney General's political extremism is obvious because he has asked the court to invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act, not simply the individual responsibility provision he challenged. As unlikely as it is that he will prevail, it is important to understand what would happen if he did:

• Millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions, including children, would again be turned down from health coverage by insurance companies;
  
  
• Insurance companies would again cancel coverage when people get sick;
  
  
• Insurance companies would restore annual and lifetime caps on health coverage, thereby, forcing sick people into bankruptcy;
  
  
• Young adults would no longer be able to stay on their parents' health coverage;
  
  
• Seniors and people with disabilities would again face a large and growing gap in their Medicare prescription drug coverage;
  
  
• Small businesses would lose the tax credits they are now receiving that enable them to afford health coverage for their workers; and
  
  
• Insurance companies would be free to resume annual double-digit premium increases without any public accountability.

“We are confident that the Affordable Care Act ultimately will be upheld in its entirety and that we will proceed toward the achievement of high-quality, affordable health coverage and care for all Americans.”

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

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202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org