Health System Changes Move Forward

Press reports detail the steps that might happen next in terms of the health law's implementation as well as what the decision might mean for consumers.  

Los Angeles Times: Ruling Allows Healthcare Changes To Proceed
After two years of heated debate, the Supreme Court, in largely upholding President Obama's healthcare law, provided much-needed clarity to consumers, insurers, states and others. While some provisions of the law have already gone into effect, many of the most significant ones — including a requirement that almost all Americans have health insurance — won't kick in until 2014 (Geiger, 6/29).

The Washington Post: Health-Care Decision: What Happens Now?
The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold all but one provision in the Affordable Care Act means that for now, at least, one of the most far-reaching overhauls of the nation’s health-care system will be the law of the land. New rules for insurers that have taken effect will remain in place, while new opportunities to gain health-care coverage will begin in 2014 (Aizenman, 6/28).

USA Today: What's Next In Health Care? Implementation Of Law Goes Ahead
The waiting game is over for consumers, employers, health care providers and insurers. Thursday's Supreme Court ruling that upheld the 2010 health care law means ongoing trends will continue, and those who waited on the sidelines for the court will now have to implement their parts of the law. For consumers, that means that those intimidated by what opponents called the overly complex part of the law will have to learn what will affect them, particularly if they have to buy their own insurance or pay a penalty for skipping it. Employers who fought the law as a job killer will now have to come to grips with it and minimize the parts they don't like (Kennedy, Lloyd and Szabo, 6/28).

The Washington Post: The Impact: What Does The Supreme Court's Health-Care Ruling Mean For Me?
The court's decision to uphold all but one component of the health-care law means new rules for insurers that have already taken effect will remain in place. Beginning in 2014, virtually all Americans will have to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty (6/28).

McClatchy Newspapers: Consumers Who Benefit From Health Care Law Relish Supreme Court Ruling
The health care law also requires plans with dependent coverage to insure adult children up to age 26. A government report found 3.1 million young adults gained health coverage because of the provision. From September 2010 to December 2011, the percentage of young adults ages 19 to 25 with health insurance has increased from 64.4 percent to 74.8 percent. They include people like 21-year-old Abby Schanfield of Minneapolis. Schanfield was born with toxoplasmosis, a rare parasitic infection, which forces her to undergo regular brain and eye surgeries, and she could eventually lose vision in one eye (Rudansky and Pugh, 6/28).

Market Watch: What The Health-Care Ruling Means For You
The Supreme Court’s decision Thursday to uphold the bulk of the landmark health-care overhaul will leave intact some popular provisions, such as requiring insurers to accept people with pre-existing conditions and to cover children up to age 26 on parents’ plans, but it may mean higher health costs ahead. The ruling delivers a huge victory to President Barack Obama on the signature law of his presidency—a law that promises to make insurance available to a good number of the 49 million Americans who are currently uninsured (Coombes and Gerencher, 6/28).

Reuters: Sick Americans Relieved At High Court Health Ruling
Americans who were relying on a U.S. healthcare overhaul to provide them with health insurance heaved a collective sigh of relief after the Supreme Court upheld the law, which aims to extend coverage to more than 30 million people (Steenhuysen, 6/28).