Some GOP Governors Vow To Make No Changes If High Court Invalidates Subsidies
Reuters surveyed officials in the states that would be directly affected if the Supreme Court strikes down federal health care subsidies and five Republican executives said they would not rescue the program. Other news outlets examine Republican strategies and the plaintiffs in the case.
Reuters:
Obamacare Rescue Ruled Out By Some States, Others Weigh Options
Five Republican state governors say they will not rescue a crucial part of Obamacare if it is struck down by the Supreme Court, underlining the prospect for a chaotic aftermath to a ruling that could force millions of Americans to pay much more for coverage or lose their health insurance. ... In its ruling expected by June, the high court could bar the federally run insurance marketplace from providing the subsidies in at least 34 states. That could throw the insurance system into turmoil as states respond in starkly different ways. In response to Reuters' queries, spokespeople for the Republican governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina and Wisconsin said the states were not willing to create a local exchange to keep subsidies flowing. (Morgan, 2/17)
Bloomberg:
Paul Ryan Seeks 'Bridge' Out Of Obamacare After Court Ruling
House Republicans won’t agree to fix Obamacare if the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the law bars health-insurance subsidies for millions of people, said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. Republicans are developing a “contingency plan” to address the states whose residents would lose subsidies while lawmakers work on a full replacement for the Affordable Care Act, Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, told reporters Friday in Washington. (Rubin and Cook, 1/13)
The Washington Post:
Millions At Risk Of Losing Coverage As Justices Take Up Challenge To Obamacare
Erin Meredith, a fifth-generation Republican who lives in Austin, was no fan of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which she considered just another wasteful government handout. She didn’t sign up for a health plan until late last year, when she felt she had no other choice. ... Now that she has coverage, she doesn’t want to lose it. ... Meredith is one of about 6 million people whose subsidized insurance hangs in the balance as the Supreme Court takes up a case that poses the most serious challenge to the Affordable Care Act since the court found the law constitutional more than two years ago. (Sun and Chokshi, 2/16)
Fox News:
As Supreme Court Case On Obamacare Nears, Focus Is On Plaintiffs And GOP's Post-Decision Plan
The simmering debate about ObamaCare reemerged in Washington this week amid questions about the plaintiffs in the upcoming Supreme Court case on the health law and Republicans sounding more urgent about preparing for the ruling. (2/15)
The Fiscal Times:
If SCOTUS Rules Against Obamacare, Health Care Costs Will Soar
If the Supreme Court strikes down federal subsidies for Obamacare in the much-anticipated case of King v. Burwell, millions of Americans will lose their health coverage, insurance premiums will skyrocket, and hospitals would be forced to absorb higher costs for a surge in uncompensated care.That’s according to a gloomy new study from the Urban Institute, which analyzed what could happen if the Court rules against the Obama administration and deems millions of Obamacare enrollees ineligible for federal subsidies. (Ehley, 2/15)
Politico:
Obamacare Lawsuit Questions — 'Kerfuffle' Or Threat?
Mounting questions about whether four plaintiffs have a legal right to challenge Obamacare in the Supreme Court have injected an aura of uncertainty around the high profile case. (Haberkorn, 2/13)
The Associated Press:
Questions On Plaintiffs Unlikely To Derail Health Law Suit
Despite questions about four challengers' legal right to bring their lawsuit, the Supreme Court probably will not be deterred from deciding whether millions of people covered by the health care overhaul are eligible for the subsidies that make their insurance affordable. ... given its decision to take up the health law even in the absence of the usual requirement that lower courts be divided on an issue, several legal experts doubted the plaintiffs' situations would derail the case. (Sherman, 2/14)
The Associated Press:
Sketches Of Challengers To Health Care Law Subsidies
A look at the four Virginia residents who are suing the Obama administration over the health care overhaul. They all are eligible for subsidies that would significantly reduce the cost of their health insurance premiums, but say they would rather not have to purchase the insurance. (2/14)