Physicians react to ACA unconstitutional ruling: 5 highlights

Practice Management

Judge Reed O'Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled the ACA was unconstitutional, leading physicians and organizations vowing to appeal the decision, according to Medscape.

Here are five highlights:

1. In his statement, Judge O'Connor said, "The court finds that the individual mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress' tax power and is still impermissible under the Interstate Commerce Clause — meaning the individual mandate is unconstitutional," according to Medscape.

After the tax bill was passed, 20 states sued, claiming the ACA was unconstitutional because the bill signed into law removed the individual mandate.

2. With the unconstitutional ruling, it is unclear if the Trump administration will seek to replace the ACA. The ruling was made one day before the 2019 enrollment period for 39 states came to an end.

3. A coalition by the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry plans to file an amicus brief in support of the ACA.

4. "Today's decision is an unfortunate step backward for our health system that is contrary to overwhelming public sentiment to preserve pre-existing condition protection and other policies that have extended health insurance coverage to millions of Americans," Barbara McAneny, MD, president of the AMA, told Medscape Medical News.

5. Others had similar reactions to Dr. McAneny. "This decision threatens to resurrect barrier to healthcare for people with serious illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and those with neurological conditions," the American Cancer Society Action Network and other organizations said in joint statement, according to Medscape.

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