Supreme Court Decision on Obama Care coming any day: what's at stake
By: Caroline Rowland
Updated: June 20, 2012
Wis. (WFRV)--A decision from the Supreme Court on Obama Care is expected to come down any day now.
A new poll from Marquette Law School shows Wisconsin voters are divided on the issue. 33 percent would like to see the court keep the entire law intact, while 19 percent favor overturning the part of the law that requires individuals to purchase insurance.
38 percent hope to see the court overturn the entire law.
Local health care reform advocates say it's a decision that will effect everyone.
"There isn't anybody who's not going to be affected this week by this decision," said Dr. Ashok Rai, President and CEO of Prevea Health.
Dr. Rai was on capitol hill during supreme court hearings and has long been an advocate for health care-reform, but he'd like to see the so-called "Obama care" scrapped and re-written entirely.
"I'd like to see them actually do a health care law, unfortunately they did a law about health insurance but they didn't make anyone healthier with their law," said Dr. Rai.
It's the individual mandate, that requires most people have health insurance or pay a penalty, that has been the most controversial.
Dr. Rai said if just the mandate is overturned and other provisions that have gone into effect stand, it could cause health care premiums to skyrocket.
"If they say okay fine, the mandates gone, but everything else holds ,you're going to see health insurance premiums sky rocket with hyper inflation, because everything was tied with everyone having insurance," said Dr. Rai, "Corporate America will probably see the biggest hit which will trickle down to the rest of America to those who have jobs."
Provisions already in effect include relief for seniors with high prescription drug costs and extended coverage for young adults on their parents insurance.
A report out Tuesday from the U.S. department of Health and Human services showed the reform helped some three million young adults gain insurance.
Ones like 23-year-old Stephanie Dantoin, who hasn't been able to find a full-time job since graduating college last year.
"Because of those 2 part time jobs i don't have the health insurance I need," said Dantoin.
Dantoin also suffers from Khron's disease and doesn't know how she'll afford the treatment if she's kicked off her parent's insurance.
"If this goes away, I don't know where I'm going to get that money from, I'll be paying for it the rest of my life probably," said Dantoin.
The high court's decision could come as early as Thursday, a ruling must be made by the end of the month.
