OP-ED: Supreme Court Could Shatter Obamacare

By Priscilla Huang

When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) comes before the Supreme Court on March 4, it does so as a shining example of what’s working and how much the average American stands to lose.

It is the lives of people like the Hwangs, a Korean American family in New Jersey, who will feel the acute pain if health insurance is once again out of reach. The recession shattered their ability to see a doctor when Mr. Hwang lost his job, and along with it, coverage for the entire family. Every day for three years, they lived in the perpetual state of fear that grips millions of uninsured Americans: what happens if I, or someone in my family, gets sick? Ms. Hwang skipped routine women’s health visits and blood tests, even though she had a nagging suspicion something was wrong. Turns out she had a serious infection and needed antibiotics. Meanwhile, even after being diagnosed with diabetes, Mr. Hwang stopped going to the doctor because he simply didn’t have the cash for a visit. Their lives turned around when they realized, like the majority of uninsured Americans, that they qualified for financial help and affordable coverage through the ACA. The Hwang family now live with the peace of mind that comes with having health insurance.

But all that hangs in the balance in King v. Burwell.

At issue in the King case is whether Congress intended for Americans in every state to receive tax credits, or just a few. Opponents argue that the tax credits are only available in state-run health insurance marketplaces like California and New York. Supporters, including my organization, argue they are available nationwide. If the opponents prevail, up to 9 million people would immediately lose access to their tax credits, sending their premiums skyrocketing and making coverage entirely unaffordable for most.

Nearly 6.5 million Americans just got health coverage with the help of the law’s tax credits, saving them an average of $268 a month. They include people like Pastor Hyun, who would never be able to afford coverage without the credits. He went uninsured for years on his small clergy salary, choosing to pay for rent and food over health insurance premiums. If the Supreme Court caves to politics and takes away his tax credits, he will have to return to those days. Worse still, the pastor is recovering from a heart attack and has no idea how he’ll manage without access to the care he needs.

Jian Z. could face a similar predicament. She has a very limited income and was finally able to get coverage for a mere $19 a month, thanks to the law’s financial help. If the Supreme Court guts the law, Jian’s premium will go up hundreds of dollars. She will be left with no way to afford it and thus no way to complete the follow-up care she needs as she recovers from stage II breast cancer.

Hong L. lives in Texas and would be also be subject to the Supreme Court’s ruling. She lives in one of the states with the largest number of uninsured Asian Americans. Without tax credits, she would struggle to manage the chronic conditions she battles, including diabetes, chronic chest pain and hyperlipidemia.

And so the stories continue. The Hwangs, Hyun, Jian and Hong are not alone. The Urban Institute predicts that a shocking 8.2 million people like them will lose coverage.

Opponents of the ACA have stopped at nothing to attack the law. When the Supreme Court issues its opinion later this year, it will determine if the misguided war on health insurance includes shattering the lives of millions of hard-working Americans. The collateral damage of these political games will be the future of Hwang, Hyun, Jian, Hong and families like our own.

Priscilla Huang is Senior Director of Impact Strategies at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), the nation’s oldest and largest organization working to advance the health and well-being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AAs and NHPIs). APIAHF filed an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in King v. Burwell detailing the impact of the ACA’s tax credits and subsidies on AAs and NHPIs.