Update: Local Reaction To Supreme Court Health Care Ruling

The Supreme Court has upheld the bulk of the Affordable Health Care Act and has called the legislation mostly constitutional in a 5-4 decision.

Voting in favor of the bill were Chief Justice Roberts, Breyer, Ginsberg, Kagan and Sotomayor. Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas and Alito were the desenting votes. 

The individual mandate has been upheld as constitutional. The law requires all Americans to buy health insurance by 2014. Those who do not buy insurance will pay a penalty in 2015.

Also upheld was insurance companies being unable to deny coverage based on preexisting conditions, lifetime limits on coverage, and a current law that states that children may remain on their parents' health care plans until they are 26.

What was called unconstitutional was the Medicaid provision that forced states to expand their Medicaid programs to cover more of the poor. States may still expand their program if they prefer.

In Wrentham, Council On Aging Director Janet Angelico expressed satisfaction with the ruling, feeling that the reforms in the bill combined with the reforms on the state level would greatly benifit senior citizens.

"My own opinion is that I'm thrilled with the ruling," Angelico said. "It's going to help keep Medicare intact and helps with covering preexisting conditions."

Plainville resident and Foxborough optometrist Steven Holtzman has told Patch that while he does not agree with the law, he respects the ruling from the Supreme Court.

"If the Supreme Court which knows way more about law than I know says it’s constitutional, then I tend to think that it’s constitutional," Dr. Holtzman said.

Holtzman also said other doctors have said that the ruling would be good for optomistrists but is taking a wait and see attitude towards the ruling.

Christopher Murphy who is the Director of Media Relations for Steward Health Care Systems, commented for Norwood Hospital.

"It's great for the Commonwealth and the country because it will allow people to get care in the right setting," Murphy said.

Noting that not much will changed for Massachusetts because of the extensive reform already put in place by the state, Murphy said that the ruling legitimizes the efforts for reform and legislation that has already taken place in the state.

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