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Texans Reacts to Health Care Ruling
Texas Tribune 6/28/12
Texans Reacts to Health Care Ruling
(snip)
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston: "I am extremely thankful that the U.S. Supreme Court did the right thing and upheld the Affordable Care Act. While not perfect, this law was passed overwhelmingly by both chambers of Congress after months of deliberation and was supported by virtually every major health organization in the nation. It is the greatest step toward universal access to affordable health care since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid, and it will help millions of uninsured Americans receive the care they need and deserve. People may disagree on the law, but one fact is indisputable - many people have and will benefit from the Affordable Care Act."
State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston: “I am extremely proud that the PPACA has been given the go ahead by the Justices. This legislation is not only long overdue, but Republicans need to realize now that this is a critical step to ensure Americans can continue working, continue goingto school, and continue making America and Texas prosperous. Without basic healthcare, the livelihood of many is in jeopardy.”
(snip)
Lance Armstrong Foundation President and CEO Doug Ulman: “Today, cancer survivors throughout the U.S. are celebrating. The Supreme Court ruling means they will retain protection from insurance discrimination for pre-existing conditions. Parents of young cancer survivors will continue covering their kids on their insurance until they are 26. Life-saving preventive services, like breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings, will be covered with no co-pays or deductibles. The Affordable Care Act’s life-saving measures, so critical to cancer survivors and their families, will be preserved and we are enormously relieved that justice has prevailed.”
Texas Democratic Party spokeswoman Rebecca Acuña: “Today’s Supreme Court decision is a victory for Texans. The health care law is the only lifeline for many Texans and Americans who had nowhere to turn when they got sick. Women can celebrate that their gender is no longer considered a pre-existing condition. Texans can have the peace of mind that they won’t be shoved off their policies when they need it most. Republicans like Rick Perry railed against the health care law but never offered a plan that would help save lives. Instead Texas Republicans put government between a woman and her doctor and ended preventive care for thousands of Texas women."
Texans Reacts to Health Care Ruling
(snip)
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston: "I am extremely thankful that the U.S. Supreme Court did the right thing and upheld the Affordable Care Act. While not perfect, this law was passed overwhelmingly by both chambers of Congress after months of deliberation and was supported by virtually every major health organization in the nation. It is the greatest step toward universal access to affordable health care since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid, and it will help millions of uninsured Americans receive the care they need and deserve. People may disagree on the law, but one fact is indisputable - many people have and will benefit from the Affordable Care Act."
State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston: “I am extremely proud that the PPACA has been given the go ahead by the Justices. This legislation is not only long overdue, but Republicans need to realize now that this is a critical step to ensure Americans can continue working, continue goingto school, and continue making America and Texas prosperous. Without basic healthcare, the livelihood of many is in jeopardy.”
(snip)
Lance Armstrong Foundation President and CEO Doug Ulman: “Today, cancer survivors throughout the U.S. are celebrating. The Supreme Court ruling means they will retain protection from insurance discrimination for pre-existing conditions. Parents of young cancer survivors will continue covering their kids on their insurance until they are 26. Life-saving preventive services, like breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings, will be covered with no co-pays or deductibles. The Affordable Care Act’s life-saving measures, so critical to cancer survivors and their families, will be preserved and we are enormously relieved that justice has prevailed.”
Texas Democratic Party spokeswoman Rebecca Acuña: “Today’s Supreme Court decision is a victory for Texans. The health care law is the only lifeline for many Texans and Americans who had nowhere to turn when they got sick. Women can celebrate that their gender is no longer considered a pre-existing condition. Texans can have the peace of mind that they won’t be shoved off their policies when they need it most. Republicans like Rick Perry railed against the health care law but never offered a plan that would help save lives. Instead Texas Republicans put government between a woman and her doctor and ended preventive care for thousands of Texas women."
I only picked up the good ones or the Democratic side.
The Rs can go F themselves. Haters!
13 replies
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Burnt Orange Report 6/28/12
Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act
(snip)
HIGH STAKES FOR TEXAS
Texas arguably had the most to gain - or most to lose - from this morning's decision. For starters, nearly a quarter of the state is uninsured, giving Texas the highest rate of uninsured citizens in the country. With the Act, that figure could shrink to less than 8 or 9% of all Texans by 2014.
An article last week from Kaiser Health News highlights the problems currently plaguing Texas. According to the piece, in Houston alone, nearly one in three residents doesn't have health insurance. What about federally-backed programs like Medicaid?
"With its fiscally conservative philosophy and cash-strapped state budget, Texas does not offer Medicaid coverage to childless adults unless they are pregnant, disabled or elderly. Parents of children covered by welfare are eligible for the state-federal health program only if they make no more than $188 a month for a family of three."
The article goes on to cite the fact that many workers in Texas are working full-time or hours exceeding a full-time position; however, they are, in fact, cobbling together multiple positions, and none of those individual jobs offers employer-sponsored health-care; moreover, the percentage of Texans with employer-sponsored insurance is ten percentage points lower than the national average of 61 percent, according to the Kaiser article.
Great read. Very meaty! Kudos to Edward Garris the writer at BOR for this blog post.
KUT News 6/28/12
Texas Reactions to SCOTUS’ Affordable Care Act Opinion
U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett called the decision a “significant victory” for families, small businesses and seniors. He says the work needs to continue to make sure every family has access to a family doctor. “Now we must continue our struggle to overcome the naysayers and obstructionists to assure each family has access to a family doctor.”
I just saw a current SciFi film, and I'm now imagining Abbott in that same space environment. It would look very similar. 
Texas always has to be dragged kicking and screaming to do things that are right. I am thankful that the FEDS are grabbing them by the scruff and pushing them forward.
Texas Tribune 6/29/12
Guest Column: by Anne Dunkelberg
Health Reform Ruling is Good for TX
(snip)
Some Texas specifics: Texans already benefiting can hold on to those gains — seniors paying lower drug costs and getting preventive tests with no out-of-pocket costs, kids with pre-existing conditions enrolled in coverage, young adults on their parents’ insurance plan and millions whose insurance no longer has lifetime limits. After today’s decision, Texans whose insurers spent less than 80 cents of every premium dollar on health care in 2011 will still get $167 million in refunds this summer because of the ACA.
Experts’ best estimates are that even moderate sign-up for the 2014 coverage expansions — through both Medicaid and sliding-scale premium help with private insurance – will cut the number of uninsured Texans in half. (Currently, 6.2 million Texans don't have health coverage.) And the new coverage will be financed overwhelmingly by the federal government. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission's own estimates project that the Medicaid expansion between 2014 and 2019 would bring $76 billion new federal dollars to the state, with Texas putting up about $6 billion from the state budget for our share of the Medicaid expansion. That $6 billion over six years is far less than Texas hospitals now spend on the uninsured in a single year, largely with local property tax dollars.
Of course, the wild card in today’s decision is that states that fail to implement the Medicaid expansion (covering adults to 133 percent of the poverty line, or $25,390 for a family of three), will not be subject to losing their entire Medicaid program. In Texas today, 2.5 million children have Medicaid, but fewer than 10 percent of their parents are covered. Without the Medicaid expansion, uninsured adults below poverty will simply be left uninsured, and seeking care from our public hospitals. Despite the hard evidence of the economic benefit to Texas, our current leadership’s opposition to the ACA signals that a major campaign will be needed for our state to take the smart step. And advocates are ready for that challenge.
Guest Column: by Anne Dunkelberg
Health Reform Ruling is Good for TX
(snip)
Some Texas specifics: Texans already benefiting can hold on to those gains — seniors paying lower drug costs and getting preventive tests with no out-of-pocket costs, kids with pre-existing conditions enrolled in coverage, young adults on their parents’ insurance plan and millions whose insurance no longer has lifetime limits. After today’s decision, Texans whose insurers spent less than 80 cents of every premium dollar on health care in 2011 will still get $167 million in refunds this summer because of the ACA.
Experts’ best estimates are that even moderate sign-up for the 2014 coverage expansions — through both Medicaid and sliding-scale premium help with private insurance – will cut the number of uninsured Texans in half. (Currently, 6.2 million Texans don't have health coverage.) And the new coverage will be financed overwhelmingly by the federal government. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission's own estimates project that the Medicaid expansion between 2014 and 2019 would bring $76 billion new federal dollars to the state, with Texas putting up about $6 billion from the state budget for our share of the Medicaid expansion. That $6 billion over six years is far less than Texas hospitals now spend on the uninsured in a single year, largely with local property tax dollars.
Of course, the wild card in today’s decision is that states that fail to implement the Medicaid expansion (covering adults to 133 percent of the poverty line, or $25,390 for a family of three), will not be subject to losing their entire Medicaid program. In Texas today, 2.5 million children have Medicaid, but fewer than 10 percent of their parents are covered. Without the Medicaid expansion, uninsured adults below poverty will simply be left uninsured, and seeking care from our public hospitals. Despite the hard evidence of the economic benefit to Texas, our current leadership’s opposition to the ACA signals that a major campaign will be needed for our state to take the smart step. And advocates are ready for that challenge.
He will always have a big spot in my heart because he has a lot of heart!
The good doctor knows his stuff too.
Thanks!
I was a hard core Dean supporter and think the world of him.
I know it's probably too early to be worrying about Texas expanding healthcare. I'm sure Perry will wait and see who wins the presidential election first before he makes a move.
I'll just have to be patient, but I will watch it like a hawk 
