Conyers: Compassion and Common Sense Prevail in the Case of King v. Burwell

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) released the following statement after the Supreme Court announced its 6 - 3 decision to uphold a core tenet of the Affordable Care Act in King v. Burwell: "Fifty years ago, I was proud to cast my vote for the creation of Medicare. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) represents the most important expansion of Americans' access to lifesaving healthcare since that time. For the second time, the United States Supreme Court has reaffirmed that the ACA is the law of the land and ensures that millions of Americans can continue to access affordable health care.

"Today's decision--that all Americans, regardless of their home state, have the access to tax credits to afford essential healthcare--is a victory for compassion and common sense.

"Since the Affordable Care Act was enacted five years ago, more than 16 million Americans have gained coverage and the nation's uninsured rate now stands at its lowest level ever -11.9 percent. More than 5.7 million young people now have health insurance through their parents' plans and as many as 17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage. The ACA has also allowed 9.4 million seniors to save $15 billion on prescription drugs.

"After years of debate in Congress leading to passage of the law and two Supreme Court rulings upholding the law, it is time for Republicans to stop attempting to deny Americans' access to healthcare by attempting to repeal the law. Recent polling demonstrates that more than half of Americans - including 80 percent of Democrats and a quarter of Republicans - support expanding healthcare further to a 'Medicare for All' model.

"Earlier this year, I was proud to reintroduce H.R. 676 'The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act' to build on the proud legacy of Medicare and the Affordable Care Act to allow Americans to access the same high-quality, cost-effective, and equitable care that's the standard throughout the industrialized world.

"Half a century ago, addressing the convention of the Medical Committee for Human Rights, Martin Luther King Jr. declared, 'Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.' Today's ruling reinforces our crucial work to combat this cruel inequality."

Read this original document at: http://conyers.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1A47FAA7-A02B-4CE7-888F-43493A48264D