Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
King V. Burwell Challenge To Health Law's Subsidies Viewed As Test For Chief Justice
The Washington Post: Roberts At Center Stage As Supreme Court Approaches Historic Decisions
In one of the court’s two blockbuster cases, about the implementation and continued viability of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, Roberts is likely to play the pivotal role. ... Smith said that the test for Roberts will be the fight over the Affordable Care Act, where challengers say the words of the statute do not allow subsidies for those who buy health insurance on a federal exchange, only those set up by states. If Roberts votes for a technical reading of the law instead of agreeing with the administration about the intent of Congress in passing the legislation, Smith said, “that will change how he is perceived for quite a while.” (Barnes, 5/3)
Modern Healthcare: Hospital CEOs Expect ACA Subsidies To Be Upheld
Healthcare chiefs overwhelmingly predict the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in favor of the government in the King v. Burwell case, which threatens health insurance subsidies in states that don't run their own exchanges, according to results of Modern Healthcare's inaugural CEO Power Panel survey. The survey indicated 75% of CEOs believe the court will side with the government, and that would be good for their organizations; 2% said subsidies would be upheld, but it would be bad for them. The Affordable Care Act has already provided significant benefits, said Dr. Gary Kaplan, CEO of the Virginia Mason Health System, Seattle. (Sandler, 5/2)
