HearTheNine.org highlights how a Supreme Court ruling against the Affordable Care Act would have real-life impacts on Americans across the country.
Washington, D.C. — With nine Supreme Court justices holding the fate of millions of Americans’ access to affordable health care in their hands, the Center for American Progress is releasing three more stories in its Hear the Nine campaign today, including that of Jordan H. of Toledo. Today’s stories are part of a month-long effort to highlight nine personal stories showing the stakes for the Court—one for each justice. This week’s stories from Florida, Georgia, and Ohio show how the case would hit people such as Jordan, who lost his job in 2013, causing his household income to drop 60 percent and making it impossible to affordable a private health care plan. Both Jordan and his wife signed up for insurance in the marketplace in 2014. Jordan story’s is one of three highlighted today. All of the stories can be found at HearTheNine.org.
“Enrolling for coverage through HealthCare.gov was the only way we could afford health coverage,” Jordan said. Jordan and his wife receive about $300 in tax credits to help them pay their monthly costs, and his prescription for medication to manage narcolepsy costs just $25 each month, instead of the potential $10,000 in out-of-pocket costs.
Conservatives have been trying for years to undermine and repeal the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. Since they have been unable to do it legislatively, they “recruited [the Supreme Court] into the front lines of a partisan war.” A decision in favor of the plaintiffs would have devastating consequences for the nation’s health care system. Millions of Americans have signed up for and are benefiting from health care under the Affordable Care Act, from saving money on premiums and care to simply having access they didn’t have before. In many cases, the Affordable Care Act has saved lives.
“Recent media scrutiny around the King v. Burwell case is showing the political nature of this lawsuit and conservatives’ focus on taking health care away from millions of Americans,” said Michele Jawando, Vice President for Legal Progress at the Center for American Progress. “Five years after the ACA became law, conservatives are still fighting to prevent access to affordable health care, but now their actions don’t have theoretical situations. A Supreme Court ruling against the Affordable Care Act would throw our health care system into disarray, and the people who would be punished are the ones who can afford it the least.”
Unlike two years ago, when the Supreme Court ruled before the marketplaces were in effect, the Court’s decision on King v. Burwell will have immediate real-world consequences. More than 9 million people have already signed up or re-enrolled in the current open enrollment period, and millions more have benefitted from Medicaid expansion in their states. Through King v. Burwell, conservative opposition to the Affordable Care Act is attempting to undermine the law through a key clause that clearly states that tax credits for insurance will be available across all 50 states for low-income Americans. Last week, CAP released the first three of the nine stories, and three more will be highlighted next week alongside videos and facts about the case at HearTheNine.org.
ACA facts:
- In just one year, the ACA has reduced the number of uninsured Americans by about 10 million, while millions have signed up for coverage through the marketplace.
- Last year, nearly 7 in 10 people who enrolled in the marketplaces selected a plan that cost $100 or less per month, after factoring in tax credits.
- Americans are getting better coverage than before with access to preventive services such as vaccines, cancer screenings, and yearly wellness visits with no out-of-pocket costs. And, as many stories have shown, insurance companies are no longer allowed to deny or drop anyone from coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
Jordan’s story:
When Jordan H. of Toledo, Ohio, lost his job in 2013, his total household income fell 60 percent, making it impossible for him and his wife to pay for a private health insurance plan. When the marketplace opened in 2014, both Jordan and his wife were able to sign up for affordable health care. “Enrolling for coverage through HealthCare.gov was the only way we could afford health coverage,” Jordan said. Over the years, Jordan has had many unexpected health issues, including narcolepsy—a neurological disorder that causes overwhelming daytime drowsiness and, at times, can make a person suffering from the disorder suddenly fall asleep. While there is no cure, Jordan needs a prescription that helps him maintain a daily routine that would cost him $10,000 per month out of pocket. Under the Affordable Care Act, his prescription costs him only $25 per month. Both Jordan and his wife now work part time and recently re-enrolled in the marketplace. They receive about $300 in tax credits to help them pay for their monthly costs.
For more information, contact Benton Strong at [email protected] or 202.481.8142.
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