Posts Tagged ‘Affordable Care Act’

Lissette Capati
Lissette
Capati

Media Commentary: Quick On the Draw, Off On the Mark

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

(Photo Illustration by Gary He)

So it’s out there. Everyone’s talking about it. CNN (and Fox News TV) screwed up big time – reporting that the Supreme Court ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional when in fact, it was the COMPLETE opposite. How now brown cow? When online reporting and the 24 hour news cycle go horribly wrong? On the upside, they corrected the news…seven minutes later.

I’m going to go out on a limb here to say I miss the days of old school reporting – when journalists had time to make sure they got it right, when we would actually pick up a hard copy newspaper and read a…gasp…book. It’s the pressure of today’s news cycle. And the world we live in. Be the first one out. Get them tuned in. But we’re talking about a 193-page Supreme Court ruling on an expansive piece of legislation.

Lesson learned (this is for all of us):

Posted in Health Care Industry, Health Care Reform, Health Policy, Journalism, SCOTUS
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Luke Dickinson
Luke
Dickinson

Supreme Court Hears Arguments Over Health Care Reform – Wednesday Update

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

As the third and final day of the oral arguments over Health Care Reform in the Supreme Court closed, the uncertainty over the Court’s anticipated decision grows even stronger. Many believe that the law is in jeopardy over the constitutionality of the individual mandate, the provision requiring all Americans to purchase health insurance. And the third day of arguments made it clear that if the individual mandate fails, there is a strong likelihood that the entire ACA will fall with it.

Day three kicked off with arguments around the severability issue of whether the ACA can remain in action if individual elements of it are deemed unconstitutional, specifically the individual mandate provision. As oral arguments and questioning developed, it quickly became clear that the Court is stuck on their political divisions.

Liberal Justices who support the ACA argued that there are too many vital elements of the law to be thrown out if one element fails, while conservative Justices questioned how Congress can salvage the law if central elements are picked apart.

“Is half a loaf better than no loaf? And on something like the [health insurance marketplace] exchanges it seems to me a perfect example where half a loaf is better than no loaf. The exchanges will do something.” – Justice Elena Kagan

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Posted in Congress, Health Care Industry, Health Care Reform, Health Policy, Public Affairs, SCOTUS, SCOTUS Beat
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Luke Dickinson
Luke
Dickinson

Supreme Court Hears Arguments Over Health Care Reform -Tuesday Update

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

(Dana Verkouteren/AP Photo)

As the dust settles on the second day of arguments in the Supreme Court over Health Care Reform legislation, there is an overwhelming sense by observers that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in jeopardy of being struck down by the Supreme Court.

Conservative Justices heaped pressure on U.S. Solicitor General Don Verrilli – who is arguing in support of the Obama Administration’s landmark piece of legislation – picking apart the individual mandate, the requirement that under ACA all Americans purchase health insurance. Setting aside the issue of quality or access to care, Justices focused on the commerce issue of the mandate, examining whether the government is changing its relationship with the people in making them purchase a commercial product and what else that might lead to.

“Everyone subject to this regulation is in — or will be in — the health care market. They are just being regulated in advance. That’s exactly the kind of thing that ought to be left to the judgment of Congress and the democratically accountable branches of government.” – U.S. Solicitor General Don Verrilli

“So can the government require you to buy a cell phone because that would facilitate responding when you need emergency services?” – Chief Justice John Roberts

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Posted in Congress, Health Care Industry, Health Care Reform, SCOTUS, SCOTUS Beat
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Luke Dickinson
Luke
Dickinson

Decision 2012 – Presidential Candidates on Health Care

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Across early primary states Republican Presidential candidates are fighting tooth and nail to appeal to voters in the hope of becoming the next President of the United States of America.

While prime-time pundits may revel in polling data, “zany” tactics or the latest campaign trail gaffe, serious voters remain concerned with the issues. The economy has become the hot topic for the cycle, but with Democrat-led health care reforms still riling many Republicans, voters are paying close attention to the candidates’ stance on health care.

The overarching message from each and every candidate is dire need to “repeal Obamacare.” Republicans argue that “Obamacare,” the Affordable Care Act passed by President Obama in March of 2010, does little to improve health care quality while simultaneously restricting individual freedoms through requirements to purchase health insurance. If elected, each major Republican candidate would repeal “Obamacare.” But where will each candidate go from there?

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Posted in Health Care Industry, Health Care Reform, Health Policy, Public Affairs, SCOTUS, SCOTUS Beat
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