Health Watch

Baucus, Tester react to healthcare ruling

Posted: Jun 28, 2012 10:32 AM by MTN News

The members of Montana's Congressional delegation are reacting to Thursday morning's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld a major tenet of the Affordable Health Care Act.

In a 5-4 ruling, the high court decided the individual mandate requiring people to have health insurance is valid as a tax, even though it is impermissible under the Constitution's commerce clause.

"In this case, however, it is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go without health insurance," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. "Such legislation is within Congress's power to tax."

The importance of the decision cannot be overstated: It will have an immediate and long-term impact on all Americans, both in how they get medicine and health care, and also in vast, yet-unknown areas of "commerce."

The most anticipated Supreme Court ruling in years allows the government to continue implementing the health care law, which doesn't take full effect until 2014.

Montana Senator Max Baucus hailed the ruling in a statement. He says that, "Thousands of Montana families, grandparents, young adults and kids can breathe a little easier today knowing they get to keep the cost savings and protections they have because of the health care law."

The statement went on to say that Baucus views the decision as a "victory for the people of Montana."

Fellow Democratic Senator Jon Tester also released a statement on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Thursday morning.

"After my daughter was born, our family had to give up health insurance because we couldn't afford it--a situation too many other Montana families have faced. I'm pleased the Supreme Court has validated Congress' work to ensure access to health care for all Montanans."

Tester added that the ruling does not mean that improvements can't still be made to the Affordable Care Act.

We have not yet received a statement from Representative Denny Rehberg in reaction to the landmark ruling.

Click here to read the U.S. Supreme Court decision.