Millions may perhaps shed absolutely free preventive well being treatment just after ruling by federal judge in Texas : NPR

On December 14, 2018, a federal judge in Texas ruled to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA), putting the health care of millions of people across the country at risk. The judge’s ruling could lead to the elimination of preventive health care services like yearly check-ups and screenings, as well as access to contraceptives with no out-of-pocket cost. The ruling, if undisturbed by higher courts, would reportedly leave up to 17 million individuals uninsured and an estimated 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions without protection from insurance companies.

The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, provided an unprecedented guarantee of access to affordable, quality health care coverage to millions of Americans, including coverage for preventive health care services. Though the judge asserted that the repeal of the Act’s individual mandate rendered the law unconstitutional, the coverage provided has positively affected its patients over the past eight years. The bill expansion of Medicaid, for example, has opened health care access to approximately 14 million people whose incomes were previously inadequate for private health insurance coverage. The current federal government, however, has favored a different approach to health care reform, creating a new dynamic by which the ACA is currently being challenged in federal court.

The Texas-based ruling has been widely contested. Numerous civil rights and advocacy groups, as well as healthcare organizations, argue that the repeal of the ACA would leave hundreds of thousands of vulnerable populations without the essential coverage from which they directly benefit. The repeal could potentially raise the cost of health insurance, force many to opt out of coverage and introduce more restrictions to basic health care access. The new regulations could also significantly affect the livelihood of millions of Americans, as the overhaul of insurance policies in the United States could cause drastic shifts in financial stability throughout the nation.

The ruling has yet to be appealed, and, should it stand at higher courts, could have monumental consequences on the national health care infrastructure. Though the full effects are yet to be seen, the outcome of this case is sure to have wide-reaching implications in the years to come. [ad_1]

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