Today’s the day – ACA repeal oral arguments before SCOTUS
Oral arguments in the case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), now named California v. Texas, are being heard today at the US Supreme Court. If part or all of the ACA is overturned, the only way to save the law, and all the protections for Americans that come with it, would be through congressional action. This is considered highly unlikely if the US Senate remains under Republican leadership.
The Urban Institute recently projected that more than 21 million non-elderly Americans will be newly uninsured in 2022, including 1.7 million children, if the ACA is overturned. Those most at risk of losing coverage are people with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level and people of color. In Arizona alone, the Urban Institute estimates that 223,000 non-elderly individuals are likely to become uninsured if the ACA is repealed.
The ACA led to tremendous gains in the rate of children’s health coverage in Arizona. As CAA’s most recent KIDS COUNT Data Book demonstrates, the rate of uninsured children in our state dropped from 13% in 2012 to 8% in 2018 (per data from the United States Census). Unfortunately, Arizona has seen a reversal of this trend since the Trump administration took office. While funding for outreach and enrollment support has been cut, anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies, such as the new public charge rule, has deterred many families from enrolling in health care. As a result, kids are losing the coverage they need to grow up healthy and succeed in life.
Until we have a ruling from the Supreme Court, which likely won’t happen before next spring, the ACA remains the law of the land. The annual open enrollment period began November 1 and will continue through December 15. The ACA Marketplace, Medicaid expansion, and KidsCare continue to cover tens of thousands of Arizona children and families. And, all Arizonans are able to get quality health insurance that covers essential benefits like doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital services, and more.
CAA is a proud partner of CoverAZ. CoverAZ’s network of promotores and community health workers can help you find the best health care option for your family. To schedule an appointment, visit coveraz.org/connector or call 1-800-377-3536.
*Enrollment in AHCCCS and KidsCare is always open. A CoverAZ assistor can help you figure out if you qualify for these programs, too!
