This week, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the request of 21 states, including Washington, for an expedited hearing in Texas v. U.S. (now referred to as California v. Texas) after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the individual mandate unconstitutional on December 18, 2019. If the Court grants certiorari — and it could still be granted in the regular course — the case could be heard as early as the fall, but a decision would not be issued until after the 2020 elections.

Special thanks to Insurance Commissioner Kreidler for calling out the President on his claims to save health care when his actions and that of his administration, including in this case, clearly show otherwise. In the meantime, the fate of the ACA remains unresolved adding to uncertainty about future health coverage protections for preexisting health conditions, and access to treatment for behavioral health, maternal care, and more. 

Washington State, among others, has taken steps to include certain ACA consumer protections into state law. This is an important step toward protecting people with preexisting conditions and their access to health insurance coverage, but it’s not enough to save the progress we’ve made under the ACA. Read more about what’s at stake for the health and health care of Washingtonians here. 

–Huma Zarif, NoHLA Staff Attorney