Today, as the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, Blue Shield of California president and CEO Paul Markovich joined with other California health care leaders to express his strong support for the landmark health care law.
You can read the statement from California Association of Health Plans below.
“No matter how the Supreme Court rules on this case, I truly believe our leaders do not want to see the country take an enormous step backward in the quest for universal access to health coverage, particularly in the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic,” Markovich said. “We are calling on our elected officials at the state and federal levels to preserve and further the all-important gains achieved by the Affordable Care Act — and ensure all Americans have affordable access to health care coverage, regardless of pre-existing condition, race/ethnicity, income, age, or any other factor. Our leaders must act in a non-partisan way to solve this issue for the good of our families, for the sake of our economy and for the health of the country we hold dear.”
The following is a joint statement by California organizations including the California Association of Health Plans of which Blue Shield of California is a member.
Overturning Affordable Care Act Would Have Devastating Consequences for Millions of Californians
November 10, 2020
The stakes have never been higher for the millions of Californians who rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for access to the vital health care services they and their loved ones count on every day. As the U.S. Supreme Court weighs the future of the ACA, one point is clear: this momentous law has become part of the fabric of our entire health care system.
So many things we all count on could be upended if the ACA is overturned:
- Guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, including almost 950,000 people who have contracted COVID-19.
- The ability of 2 million young adults under age 26 to remain on their parents’ health plans.
- The expansion of Medi-Cal to nearly 4 million low-income Californians, including single childless adults ages 19-25 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level.
- Subsidies through Covered California to make individual health insurance more affordable.
- Enhanced Medicare payments to hospitals, doctors, and other providers that help ensure seniors have access to the care they need, when they need it.
Cutting through all the partisanship, politics, and legal arguments, the ACA is really about one thing: people. Without the ACA, millions of Californians who rely on its protections will be sicker, their ability to provide for their families will be at risk, and they will face an uncertain future.
With so much at stake, we hope the Supreme Court rules to protect the health of all Californians.
José Alberto Arévalo, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.
Board Chair, Latinx Physicians of California
Charles Bacchi
President & CEO, California Association of Health Plans
Carmela Castellano-Garcia, Esq.
President & CEO, California Primary Care Association
Dustin Corcoran, M.B.A.
CEO, California Medical Association
Carmela Coyle
President & CEO, California Hospital Association
Crystal D. Crawford, Esq.
Executive Director, Western Center on Law & Poverty
Peter DuBois, J.D.
Executive Director, California Dental Association
Denise Duncan, R.N.
President, United Nurses Association of California
Alma Hernández
Executive Director, SEIU California
Kiran Savage-Sangwan, M.P.A.
Executive Director, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
Anthony Wright
Executive Director, Health Access California