Texans are wading through a flood of opinions on Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the healthcare law – and how that law may affect them.
Texas Governor Rick Perry calls the ruling a stomach punch to the American economy. The Texas Association of Business says employers that now offer insurance will drop it, and jobs will be lost.
Doug Hawthorne, CEO of Texas Health Resources says the ruling is good for the healthcare business.
“I think for all health care systems it does say we now have an answer on the issue of payment. And that we can hopefully stabilize and encourage people with insurance to access the system sooner, when they need it, rather than waiting too long when it’s the most expensive time to get their healthcare.”
That’s usually in the hospital emergency room. At Parkland Hospital, Board Chair Debbie Branson wants to see the Obama Administration and Congress figure out how to fully implement the law.
The high court upheld the most controversial part of the law, the individual mandate that requires most Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty. The court ruled that penalty is actually a “tax” and within the pervue of Congress to impose.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott does not like that at all.
“I am against this tax. And I will work with the state of Texas and members of Congress to repeal this unprecedented tax imposed on Texans.”
The Attorney General calls the Affordable Care Act, “federal government run amok.”
At Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, patient Brenda Hill and visitor Delton Lutz tend to agree.
“I think the government has a lot of say-so where it shouldn’t be,” said Hill.
“I don’t like the decision as far as the mandate’s concerned, requiring people to buy insurance,” Lutz said. “I don’t like the upgrade in the Medicaid. Some of the, part of it is good I think, but those two parts of it I really don’t care for.
Debra Garcia, mother of two college-age daughters, likes the part about keeping children on their parents’ insurance plan until age 26.
“It definitely helps us as far as our peace of mind,” she said. “We know our children are covered.”
State Representative Eric Johnson, Dallas Democrat, applauds the Supreme Court’s decision and calls on Governor Perry and the Legislature to begin planning for implementation of the much needed law.
Texas House speaker Joe Straus says the House will do its part during the next legislative session to limit the negative impacts the law might have on Texas.
