What the Supreme Court Ruling On Healthcare means for Families in Maryland

June 28th, 2012

The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act ensures hard-working, middle class families will get the security they deserve and protects every American from the worst insurance company abuses.

Here’s what today’s ruling means for the middle class:

Insurance companies no longer have unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women more than men.
Soon, no American will ever again be denied care or charged more due to a pre-existing condition, like cancer or even asthma.
Preventive care will still be covered free of charge by insurance companies–including mammograms for women and wellness visits for seniors.
By August, millions of Americans will receive a rebate because their insurance company spent too much of their premium on administrative costs or CEO bonuses.
Many seniors will continue to save $600 a year on their prescription drugs.
Efforts to strengthen and protect Medicare by cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse will remain in place.
Millions of young adults will still be able to stay on their family’s plan until they’re 26.

The Court has issued a clear and final ruling on this law.

A major impact of the Court’s decision is the 129 million people with pre-existing conditions and millions of middle class families who will have the security of affordable health coverage.
Under today’s ruling, having health insurance is and will continue to be a choice.
If you can’t afford insurance or you’re a small business that wants to provide affordable insurance to your employees, you’ll get tax credits that make coverage affordable.
But if you can afford insurance and you choose not to purchase it, the taxpayers will no longer subsidize your care for free.

The Security of Affordable Coverage – Benefits & Protections By the Numbers:

$10.7 billion has been recovered by cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare all while securing and protecting the benefits seniors have earned.
86 million Americans have benefitted from free preventive services like mammograms for women or wellness visits for seniors.
17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage.
12.8 million Americans will benefit from rebates because their insurance company spent too much of their premium dollars on administrative costs or CEO bonuses.
6.6 million young adults have the security of coverage until age 26.
5.3 million Americans on Medicare have saved an average of $600 on their prescription drugs.
70,000 Americans with pre-existing conditions now have the security of coverage.

Read the Joint Statement from Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Affordable Care Act