Special Edition on Federal Ruling Declaring ACA Unconstitutional
Late last Friday, a federal district court judge ruled that the ACA’s individual mandate, with no accompanying tax penalty, is unconstitutional and without which, the law cannot function and therefore the full law is invalid. This ruling could have dramatic effects not only for the key provisions of the landmark healthcare law, such as the marketplaces, mandates and tax credits, but for countless other provisions, from elimination of lifetime limits, guaranteed-issue coverage and consumer protections to Medicaid expansion and Medicare Advantage reforms. On this week’s special edition episode, NAHU’s Marcy M. Buckner and Chris Hartmann break down this ruling, what it means for you and your clients, the expected next steps, a timeline for the appeals process and when to expect a final ruling. They also provide an update on the ongoing negotiations for an end-of-year budget agreement to avert a partial government shutdown at the end of the week and the potential for healthcare provisions to be included.