Are We There Yet?
June 12th, 2012
With less than three weeks left before the Supreme Court leaves for the beach — also known as the end of their term — speculation around the fate of the Affordable Care Act has reached a fever pitch within Washington, DC. When will the Court decide? Will the law be upheld or struck down? Or will the Court leave it bruised and battered? How will it shape the election? How is it trending on Twitter?
Lost within this uncertainty is a bigger issue—most Americans still have no idea what the bill does. While the public supports numerous individual provisions of health care reform, roughly half do not believe those provisions have been enacted. Thus, millions of U.S. families won’t know what the Court’s decision actually means for them.
Yesterday’s announcement by three health insurers was a helpful recognition of some of the important provisions in the legislation. UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, and Humana all announced that they would retain some of the benefits found in the Affordable Care Act, whether or not the Supreme Court upholds the law. These provisions—which include allowing dependents to remain on parents’ policies up to age 26 as well as guaranteeing free preventative care, among others—are integral components to ensuring stable and secure health benefits.
We cannot control the Court’s decision—but we can go to back to basics and explain to people what is in this bill. Whether you are a progressive health insurer, a journalist, or a parent, let’s use the Court’s decision to educate Americans about the actual health care benefits at stake.