WV reps in Washington react to healthcare ruling

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled to uphold the Affordable Healthcare Act that seeks to reform many healthcare practices throughout the US.

Surprisingly, it was Chief Justice John Roberts — appointed during the George W. Bush administration and said to be a relentless conservative—who cast the final vote deciding the 5–4 landmark decision. Roberts joined the more liberal justices saying the individual mandate aspect of the law which requires all Americans to buy private health insurance was grounded not in the power of Congress to regulate commerce, but in its taxing power.

Echoing the Supreme Court’s divide, West Virginia’s representatives in Washington are split 3-2 in support of the court’s decision. In a state where almost 40 percent (37.8 percent) of the population is covered by government healthcare and almost 40% are covered by either Medicaid (18.3 percent) or Medicare (18.8 percent), the healthcare debate continues to spin around the issue of small-businesses.

Republican house members Shelly Moore Capito and David McKinley released statements expressing bitter disappointment in the court’s decision saying the law burdens small businesses with higher taxes. McKinley says the law is based on dubious Constitutional authority and Capito reports that she will cast a vote to repeal the decision in July.

“For the past two years," Capito says, "I've listened to WV caregivers, small business owners, doctors, and constituents who continue to say that the President’s healthcare law the wrong direction for America and for West Virginia. While I respect the Supreme Court's decision, I continue to believe that this law is bad for West Virginia families and the American economy.”

Meanwhile, Democrats issued statements that generally approve the decision saying that it affirms the very real need for congressional action to curb healthcare challenges that many West Virginians face.

Congressman Rahall applauded the ruling saying that as long as the law remains in place, no American will loose coverage when they need it most, fall into bankruptcy because of limited coverage, or be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. He also said without reform, those with insurance will continue to pay for those without it.

Sen. Rockefeller said in a press release that over the years his constituents are most often frustrated with premiums that continue to rise each year — including a 55 percent jump in the past seven years. In West Virginia, roughly 13 percent of the population goes without health insurance, or nearly 250,000 people.

Rockefeller points out that people who seek care in emergency rooms because they can’t afford insurance add $2000 on average to family health insurance premiums and $760 on average to individual health premiums in West Virginia.