Forget The Supreme Court, The Public Is Against the ACA

By  //  April 23, 2012

Healthcare Policy

EDITOR’S NOTE:  The United States Supreme Court is deliberating over a constitutional challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) after hearing oral arguments in March, and a ruling is expected from the Court prior to the June 30, 2012 end of its term.  The lawsuit, brought by 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), claims that Congress exceeded its power by requiring most Americans to buy health insurance starting in 2014 (Individual Mandate Provision).

Though many provisions of the PPACA are already in effect, the Court decided to expand beyond just examining the constitutionality of the individual mandate and also review and rule on other issues including the Medicaid expansion in the law, the role of the Anti-Injunction Act, and what provisions must be struck from the law if the mandate is ruled unconstitutional.

Whether its upheld, struck down, or specific elements are maintained while others are not, this is shaping up to be a landmark Supreme Court decision that will impact the provision of healthcare and health insurance in America for decades to come.

After President Obama’s pretentious attempt to “school” the Court on the rule of law pertaining to this crucial decision, he and his followers have gone mum and, for now, moved as far away from the ACA as possible without abandoning it completely.

With public opinion solidly against the ACA as reported in this article from ModernHealthcare.com’s “Window To Washington,” it is unlikely we’ll hear anything for now from the campaign stump from the President related to healthcare, except to vilify any alternative reform plan put forth by the GOP.

President Obama has dubbed Rep. Paul Ryan's 2012 budget "fairly radical." The Republican congressman from Wisconsin has claimed the president's Affordable Care Act "is accelerating our country toward bankruptcy."

WASHINGTON, D.C.—It’s unknown whether President Barack Obama’s unusual call earlier this month for the Supreme Court to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act made much of an impact on the justices, but it appeared to fall flat for another important group.

Contrary to the president’s exhortations in an April 3 speech to a gathering of news editors for the court to uphold the 2010 healthcare law, a plurality of voters, 49%-38%, want the court to strike it down, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll released this morning. The telephone poll of 2,577 registered voters was taken April 11-17, the week after the president’s widely covered address.

CLICK HERE to read the complete story from ModernHealthcare.com.