Poll: If High Court Rules Against Health Law Subsidies, Most Say They Want Them Restored
More than 6 in 10 Americans said they would want Congress to restore federal financial aid for people buying health insurance through the health law's federal exchange if the Supreme Court invalidates some of those government subsidies, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll.
The Associated Press:
Poll: Most Say Restore Health Aid If Court Kills Subsidies
More than 6 in 10 Americans would want Congress to restore federal financial assistance for millions buying health care coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law if the Supreme Court invalidates some of those government subsidies, a poll said Wednesday. The finding by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation suggests that a complicated political landscape might await Republicans, who want to repeal and replace the law, should the court annul a crucial part of it later this year. (Fram, 1/28)
Kaiser Health News:
If Supreme Court Rules Against Insurance Subsidies, Most Want Them Restored
A new poll finds that most people think Congress or states should act to restore health insurance subsidies if the Supreme Court decides later this year they are not permitted in states where the federal government is running the marketplace. The court in March is set to hear King v. Burwell, a lawsuit arguing that the wording of the Affordable Care Act means that financial assistance with premiums is available only in the 13 states that created and are running their own online insurance exchanges. If the court sides with those challenging the law, millions of people in the 37 states that use the federal Healthcare.gov site would lose the help they have been getting. A decision in the case is expected in late June. (Rovner, 1/28)
The Washington Post's The Fix:
The Supreme Court Could Gut Obamacare. Here’s Why That Might Not Matter.
The Supreme Court could soon move to void many Obamacare subsidies -- something Republicans are banking on to effectively gut the law. But even if that happens, the American people say they would like the GOP Congress to restore the subsidies. That’s according to a new poll. And though it might not be quite that simple, it demonstrates the real dilemma Republicans could find themselves in if the Supreme Court does what they hope it will. The poll, from the Kaiser Family Foundation, shows 64 percent of people say they would want Congress to re-expand the subsidies to all beneficiaries of the Affordable Care Act, if the Supreme Court voids some of them. (Blacke, 1/28)
Politico Pro:
Poll Finds Support For Obamacare Subsidies Fix, If Needed
Nearly two-thirds of Americans want Congress to step in if the Supreme Court blocks Obamacare subsidies through the federal exchange this year, according to a survey released Wednesday. (Mershon, 1/28)
The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire:
White House To Court: GOP Health-Care Lawsuit Is ‘Incoherent’
The White House said a Republican lawsuit challenging its implementation of the 2010 health-care law misunderstands the constitutional separation of powers and should be thrown out, according to court papers filed Monday night. “Simply put, Congress’s power to enact legislation does not give it the power (either on its own or with the assistance of the judiciary) to manage the implementation of federal law,” Justice Department lawyers said in papers that ask U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer to dismiss the lawsuit. House Republicans filed a complaint in November, alleging the Obama administration exceeded its powers in how it is paying for and enforcing certain parts of the Affordable Care Act. The lawsuit said the administration had no authority without permission from Congress to pay certain discounts to insurers or to delay implementation of an insurance-coverage mandate that applies to large employers. (Kendall, 1/27)
