With the passing of the A.C.A. healthcare is often a political issue. This is especially true when following the King Vs. Burwell case where Republicans want the law upended and the Democrats would like it to stay as is. Republicans are having to take a second look at their initial push to have Obamacare struck down due to how this could impact their constituents and the upcoming election. If millions of Americans lose coverage this could be a negative in the eyes of voters. The majority of Republicans in office do not want Americans to have a disruption in service and see the need for subsidies continuing through to the end of the year. If the transition is not smooth this could be problematic for Republicans.
There is no denying that the A.C.A. needs several improvements and this Supreme Court case gives the opportunity to start making those changes sooner rather than later. Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming said, “Our goal is to protect people, not the law.” Barrasso is writing a possible legislative response to the court decision, but says, “This is not a long-term solution, we want to provide a temporary transition while this is re-litigated in the 2016 elections-and give the new president time to come in and bring a new solution forward.” A NY Times article said, “Democrats denounced the proposals…”
Americans have needed health coverage for a long time and the A.C.A. provided a door for many that could not afford coverage by their own means. The subsidies are a benefit to many, and to take it away completely does not do anybody any good in the long run. All parties involved know that there needs to be a quick fix if the A.C.A is ruled against. If you are receiving a subsidy from Healthcare.gov does this Supreme Court case make you fearful, or are you secure in knowing all parties will work to keep your subsidies in place?