U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS OBAMACARE
Ruling Ensures Americans Get to Keep Their Health Care Benefits
(NEW JERSEY) - - Today's Supreme Court ruling upholding ObamaCare – agreed on by both Republican and Democratic Justices – is a tremendous victory for all Americans. This is good news because people can continue to get the affordable healthcare and insurance coverage they need and deserve.Senior citizens remain safe from the prescription drug donut hole and can continue to receive free preventative care. People of all ages are still protected from being at the mercy of big insurance companies and can't be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. And young adults have a brighter future because they can still stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26.
“In 2010, The Affordable Care Act was signed, sealed and delivered by President Obama….and today it has rightly been upheld by the United States Supreme court,” said Joshua Henne, New Jersey spokesman for Know Your Care. “This ruling should also mark the end of partisan attacks and fighting over ObamaCare. It is time for everyone to join together and move forward to fully implement the law.”
As of March 2012, over 173,000 New Jerseyans have saved nearly $133 million since 2011 due to the Affordable Care Act. The average savings per beneficiary in New Jersey has been $768 – which is higher than the national average of $635. Nationwide, over that time, 5.1 million Americans have saved over $3.23 billion.
Earlier this Spring, Governor Chris Christie vetoed state-based health insurance exchange legislation that would have provided access to affordable, quality care to 1.3 million New Jerseyans. Christie said he was punting on this much-needed bill due to the impending case coming before the Supreme Court. In light of today’s upholding of the Affordable Care Act, New Jersey residents, families and small businesses shouldn’t have to wait any longer to be able to shop for health insurance.
Below are some facts on what the Affordable Care Act has already done:
- Expanded access to insurance: 3.1 million young adults are insured because of the ACA.
- Closed the "donut hole": More than 5.2 million Medicare beneficiaries saved more than $5.2 billion on prescription drugs because of the ACA.
- Provided seniors with free preventive services: More than 32.5 million seniors received preventive care like mammograms and colonoscopies for free in 2011. And 14.3 million have already received at least one preventive service at no cost during the first five months of 2012.
- Kept children healthy and insured: As many as 17 million children with pre-existing conditions already cannot be denied coverage nor have lifetime limits placed on their coverage.
- Expanded preventive care: Approximately 86 million Americans received no-cost preventive care services such as mammograms and colonoscopies.
- Expanded coverage for those with pre-existing conditions: About 60,000 Americans who were denied coverage now have insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.
- Stopped unreasonable premium increases: Now, insurance companies must publicly justify raising rates by 10 percent or more. HHS has granted millions of dollars to states to bolster their ability to stop unreasonable premium increases.
- Held insurers accountable for excessive profits: Insurers must now spend 80 percent of premium dollars on health care coverage and not advertising or executive bonuses. State regulators reported that some companies “have not applied for premium increases and are making adjustments to lower premiums.”
- Eliminated lifetime limits: 105 million Americans no longer have lifetime limits to their insurance coverage.
The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23rd, 2010. Over the past two years, it has been a tremendous help to millions of Americans as this real reform lowers costs and guarantees more choice for consumers. As additional provisions are implemented, ACA will continue to benefit millions more people.
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