“Jen Flory, Policy Advocate for the Western Center on Law & Poverty, discussed the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on California during a session at the 2020 Southern California State of Reform Virtual Health Policy Conference.”
JOINT STATEMENT: Overturning Affordable Care Act Would Have Devastating Consequences for Millions of Californians
The stakes have never been higher for the millions of Californians who rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for access to the vital health care services they and their loved ones count on every day. As the U.S. Supreme Court weighs the future of the ACA, one point is clear: this momentous law has become part of the fabric of our entire health care system.
So many things we all count on could be upended if the ACA is overturned:
- Guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, including almost 950,000 people who have contracted COVID-19.
- The ability of 2 million young adults under age 26 to remain on their parents’ health plans.
- The expansion of Medi-Cal to nearly 4 million low-income Californians, including single childless adults between 19-25 with incomes up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Subsidies through Covered California to make individual health insurance more affordable.
- Enhanced Medicare payments to hospitals, doctors and other providers that help ensure seniors have access to the care they need, when they need it.
Cutting through all the partisanship, politics, and legal arguments, the ACA is really about one thing: people. Without the ACA, millions of Californians who rely on its protections will be sicker, their ability to provide for their families will be at risk, and they will face an uncertain future.
With so much at stake, we hope the Supreme Court rules to protect the health of all Californians.
Charity Care Spending By Hospitals Plunges
California hospitals are providing significantly less free and discounted care to low-income patients since the Affordable Care Act took effect.
…Cori Racela, deputy director at the Western Center on Law & Poverty, countered that many people still need financial assistance because — even with insurance — they struggle to pay their premiums, copays and deductibles.
“The need for charity care has changed,” she said, “but it still exists.”
