Thursday's Supreme Court decision to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act has stirred reaction on both sides of the issue.
State Rep. Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills, said the ruling is good for individuals, families, senior citizens and it's good for the private health care industry.
"Health care shouldn't be a partisan issue, it's a family issue," she said. "It's crucial that families are able to afford health care — and this allows for people to have a choice in choosing the type of health care they can afford."
She wasn't surprised by the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that was passed down Thursday.
"I'm very pleased that the Supreme Court upheld what many already knew was constitutional," she said.
At the center of the issue is the mandate for all Americans to have health coverage by 2014. Opponents said the mandate isn't constitutional, but Barnett noted that Americans are already required to pay into other programs, like Social Security and Medicare.
"This is just an extension of the power the federal government has had since it was first constituted," she said.
Farmington Hills resident Steve Sutton disagrees.
"Based on the Constitution as written and intended, the Supreme Court got it wrong," he said. "Based on the Constitution as it has been interpreted since the New Deal, the Supreme Court pretty much fell in line with the prevailing belief that the federal government has unlimited power with nothing outside its realm."
Benefits of the ACA include young people can stay on their parents' health care plan up to age 26; people with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage; people cannot be dropped after being diagnosed with major illness; drug costs for senior citizens are expected to decrease.
Barnett, who does not elect the state health care coverage but instead is covered by her husband's insurance, said her family has already benefitted from the ACA because her son had health coverage for one year, until he turned 27.
"There are some very good things in this bill," she said.
Congressman Gary Peters, a Democrat who represents Farmington and Farmington Hills as part of his district, said he stands with Obama in working toward its implementation.
"Today's Supreme Court ruling is a huge victory for the millions of Americans that will be able to see a doctor and receive necessary preventative treatments because of the Affordable Care Act," he said. "In this landmark decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed what I have been saying for years, everybody in this country has the right to quality affordable health care.
"I was proud to work with President Obama to pass this important health care reform law and I will continue working with him to ensure that it is fully implemented."
Provides direction
The decision provides direction for health care providers, such as Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, to move forward with much needed services to the citizen.
"At Botsford, we have been working hard already to comply with the Affordable Care Act and the changing health care environment that will ensue," said David Walters, D.O., MPH, vice president and chief clinical officer. "Although parts of this ruling will take weeks to interpret, upholding the ACA means many of our important initiatives can move forward, which will have a profoundly positive impact on the health care that we deliver to our patients and their families."
An ACA initiative impacting Botsford Hospital directly is the adoption of a system of electronic medical records that allows for tracking patients' medical history in one location, electronic sharing of medical information within the hospital and with outside providers, reducing medical errors, providing better coordination of services, and allowing better analysis of data, which will help reduce costs. The EMR system at Botsford would not have been possible without ACA support and funding.
Michigan, Medicaid
In its ruling written by Chief Justice Roberts, the Supreme Court also struck down the expansion of Medicaid.
Gov. Rick Snyder issued a lengthy statement Thursday, saying he doesn't agree with everything in the law, but now is the time for Michigan to react.
"We must act quickly to avoid an undue burden on Michigan residents and job providers. Working with our legislative leaders to establish the MiHealth Marketplace will allow Michiganders to make decisions regarding what will be covered as opposed to Washington, D.C., making those decisions for us. It will also allow us to draw down federal dollars to assist with the costs of complying with the law."
Barnett noted that the House Republicans in Lansing are holding up that effort.
"If we don't have a plan approved by January, the federal exchanges will be forced on Michigan on Jan. 1 and we will lose millions (in federal funding)," she said.
The state Legislature has one session in July and one session in August.
sjenkins@hometownlife.com (313) 222-2369
