Small Businesses Celebrate SCOTUS Health Care Win, Look to Next Steps on a Priority Issue
June 17, 2021
On the Supreme Court Decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, Co-Executive Directors of Main Street Alliance Chanda Causer and Stephen Michael had this to say:
“Small businesses across the country are celebrating the Supreme Court decision to protect the health care of American families. The Affordable Care Act is the only thing standing between the 135 million people with pre-existing conditions and the insurance companies.
The landmark healthcare bill made historic changes that: brought the number of uninsured people to record lows, including millions of small business owners; ended insurers’ common practice of denying or charging more for pre-existing conditions; and improved quality of coverage by establishing standard essential health benefits required by all policies, including basic services like mental health, maternity, pediatric care and prescription coverage.
Recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that despite massive job losses over the past year, there were not dramatic increases in uninsured people in large part due to ACA coverage and Medicaid that provided some workers coverage. COVID has further shown the perils of tying health coverage to employment and made clear the link between health and economic strength.
Health care continues to be a priority for small business owners, with over 92% saying in recent polls that it’s important for the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress to bring down health care costs. Making the improvements to the ACA and Medicaid under the American Rescue Plan permanent, -- and including them alongside a permanent paid leave program in the next infrastructure package -- would be a first step to addressing this long standing small business priority.
In addition, over half of small business owners are very concerned about health care prices being too high (61%) and that drug corporations are overcharging for prescription drugs (59%) - which contribute to increased insurance prices.
Over eleven years ago, Main Street Alliance members celebrated enactment of the Affordable Care Act as a tremendous step forward for our nation, but now it’s time to take the next step. We can absolutely afford to create jobs, provide affordable quality health care for all and rebuild the economy to work better for everyone. It’s past due for politicians to make the rich and corporations pay their fair share so that we can finally guarantee quality, affordable health care for everyone.”