INTO NEW YORK CONDOMINIUMS, YACHTS AND FINANCING FOR THE
MOVIE "THE WOLF OF WALL STREET."
>>> BIG STORY, THE FUTURE OF
OBAMACARE, OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, IN
QUESTION AFTER A FEDERAL JUDGE
IN TEXAS RULED THAT THE LAW IS
CONSTITUTIONAL.
CONSTITUTIONAL. THE JUDGE AGREED WITH ARGUMENTS
OF 20 STATES’ ATTORNEYS GENERAL.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
CELEBRATED THE RULING BUT HAS
SAID THE LAW WILL REMAIN IN
PLACE.
PLACE. OBAMACARE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE
DURING THE APPEAL.
IF THE RULING WAS UPHELD
OBAMACARE’S POPULAR CONSUMER
PROTECTIONS WOULD DISAPPEAR AND
THAT COULD HAVE ENORMOUS
CONSEQUENCES FOR TENS OF
MILLIONS OF
MILLIONS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
THE URBAN INSTITUTE ESTIMATED 17
MILLION AMERICANS WOULD LOSE
THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.
PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS WOULD
ALSO DISAPPEAR.
ALSO DISAPPEAR. THIS MEANS INSURERS COULD DENY
COVERAGE FOR THOSE PATIENTS OR
CHARGE MORE POTENTIALLY CAUSING
INSURANCE PREMIUMS TO SKYROCKET.
IF THE CURRENT LAW WENT AWAY
INSURERS WOULD NO LONGER HAVE TO
COVER THESE SO-CALLED ESSENTIAL
HEALTH BENEFITS.
HEALTH BENEFITS. LOOK AT THIS LONG LIST.
EMERGENCY SERVICES.
EMERGENCY SERVICES. HOSPITALIZATION.
HOSPITALIZATION. MATERNITY AND NEWBORN CARE.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN BUY
COVERAGE THAT WON’T HAVE THESE
PROTECTIONS SO PEOPLE WHO NEED
THESE PROTECTIONS PAY A LOT
MORE.
MORE. OTHER PROTECTIONS TO DISAPPEAR
INCLUDING CAPS, BANS ON ANNUAL
OR LIFETIME LIMITS.
IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVE A CHRONIC
OR TERM CALL ILLNESS.
THEY CAN CHARGE MORE BASED ON
AGE, GENDER OR PROFESSION AND
YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD NOT STAY ON
INSURANCE POLICIES UNTIL THEY’RE
26 YEARS OLD.
THERE’S A LOT THAT COULD GO
WRONG HERE.
WRONG HERE. JOINING ME IS A DOCTOR, WHO’S A
PRACTICING PHYSICIAN AT JOHNS
HOPKINS UNIVERSITY.
HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> THIS RULING ONE DAY BEFORE
THE END OF THE OBAMACARE OPEN
ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR 2019.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SIGNED UP OR
RENEWED COVERAGE FOR NEXT YEAR.
FOR PEOPLE WHO GET THEIR
INSURANCE IN SOME FASHION
THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
>> AS OF TODAY, NOTHING HAS
CHANGED BECAUSE THE RULING DID
NOT HAVE AN INJUNCTION WITH IT
AND QUITE HONESTLY AS YOU
MENTIONED IT IS GOING THROUGH A
PROCESS AND I HOPE IT DOESN’T
GET PAST THE APPEALS COURT MUCH
LESS TO THE SUPREME COURT WHERE
A LOT OF PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE ON LEGAL, CONSERVATIVE
AND LIBERAL SCHOLARS HAVE SAID
THIS WAS A REALLY WEAK RULING
BUT WHAT’S REALLY CHAOTIC, ALI,
IS THAT IF YOU LISTEN TO JUST
THE HEADLINES YOU’RE ENROLLING
IN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT’S
INSURANCE AND THINKING YOU LOSE
COVERAGE COME JANUARY 1st.
THAT’S NOT THE CASE AS OF TODAY.
I THINK THE OTHER STORY THAT
PEOPLE AREN’T TALKING ABOUT IS
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAID
ENROLLMENT IS STILL OPEN, WE ARE
ENFORCING THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT AND WE WONDER IF THAT
CHANGES AT SOME POINT.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IN PLAY
LEAVING, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY
AMERICANS WITH A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT’S REALLY
GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT YEAR
OR TWO.
OR TWO. >> SO THE CHAOS IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT’S KIND OF WHAT THE
ADMINISTRATION WANTS AND WHAT A
LOT OF REPUBLICANS WANT.
THE BIGGEST DREAM IS FEWER
PEOPLE WANTED TO SIGN UP FOR
OBAMACARE OR JUST WALKED AWAY
FROM THE WHOLE THING TO PROVE
IT’S NOT AS POPULAR BUT IN THE
LAST ELECTION HEALTH CARE ITSELF
WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO
MOST AMERICANS.
MOST AMERICANS. SO WHAT’S THE WORST-CASE
SCENARIO NOW?
SCENARIO NOW? WHAT CAN HAPPEN NEXT?
IF A HIGHER COURT UPHOLDS THIS
RULING.
RULING. >> OH, IT’S EVEN -- YOU PUT OUT
PROBABLY THE MOST SALIENT FACT
THAT, YOU KNOW, TENS OF MILLIONS
OF PEOPLE WOULD LOSE HEALTH
INSURANCE BUT LET’S JUST TALK
DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE ON MEDICARE
WHO MIGHT COMFORTABLY THINK
NOTHING CHANGES FOR THEM.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT REALLY
REDESIGNED IN A POSITIVE WAY THE
MEDICARE PROGRAM AND HOW WE PAY
FOR CARE FOR ELDERLY AND PEOPLE
OVER THE AGE OF 65.
SO, THIS WOULD REALLY RIP OUT TO
JUST PUT IT SIMPLY, IT WOULD RIP
OUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE
ESSENTIAL HIGHWAY OF DELIVERING
HEALTH CARE AND THAT I THINK IS
GOING TO BE THE CHAOS AND IF
YOU’RE A REPUBLICAN AND YOU
TRIED TO CAMPAIGN ON THE FACT
THAT YOU WANT TO PROTECT PEOPLE
WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS,
THIS REALLY PUTTS YOU, YOU KNOW,
IN A CORNER BECAUSE IF THIS
RULING WERE TO BE UPHELD THAT
TAKES THE PROTECTIONS AWAY.
>> THE JUDGE, JUST USEFUL THE
LOOK AT THE SPECIFICITY OF THIS.
THE JUDGE AGREED WITH THE
AGREEMENT THAT THE LAW DOESN’T
WORK TAKING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL
MANDATE.
MANDATE. YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN
BUILDING THIS.
BUILDING THIS. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT
REASONING?
REASONING? >> SO WHAT’S INTERESTING IS THAT
THE ENTIRE LAW IS NOT JUST
DEPENDENT ON THE MAN DATE.
THE MANDATE IS IMPORTANT BUT
THERE WAS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF THE LAW THAT WAS BUILT AROUND
EXACTLY HOW WE PAY FOR THESE
SERVICES, AS WELL.
SO IF YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
IT, ALI, IT IS REALLY THERE
NEEDS TO BE SOME WILLINGNESS TO
PURCHASE THE INSURANCE.
THAT’S PART OF THE MANDATE AND
HAS TO BE INSURANCE THAT’S
AFFORDABLE.
AFFORDABLE. THAT’S THE AFFORDABLE PART OF
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND THEN
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
CARE YOU GET IS GOOD QUALITY.
THAT IT’S NOT BAD CARE,
LOW-QUALITY CARE AND THAT’S THE
THIRD PART OF THE STOOL AROUND
THE QUALITY.
THE QUALITY. PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT THAT.
I WILL SAY I AM DISAPPOINTED
THAT THE MANDATE HAS A ZERO
PENALTY ATTACHED TO IT AND