Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act

So, you’ve heard the news coverage of the Supreme Court’s decision on the Accountable Care Act  and you may be left wondering what impact the decision will have on you and your family.

Recently, in a 5 to 4 decision, the United States Supreme Court upheld the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Specifically, the individual mandate requiring all Americans to buy health insurance was found to be constitutional, while the Medicaid expansion was essentially made optional for the states to implement. The Court’s decision leaves in tact the law’s expansion of insurance coverage to millions of currently uninsured Americans, the popular insurance reform provisions that prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for those with expensive or pre-existing medical conditions.

Regardless of how the Affordable Care Act is carried out or even changed, providers must find new ways to deliver coordinated, high-quality healthcare at a proven value to their patients. The Supreme Court’s decision does not change this imperative.

It’s abundantly clear the current health care model is not sustainable and has to change. We must find ways to improve the quality of care we provide while at the same time utilizing health services more wisely and slowing the growth in overall health care costs. Physicians, other care providers, and patients must work together to prevent illness where possible and to more effectively manage the conditions of those who become sick. We must create a new way of delivering health care that allows for greater communication with caregivers and fosters coordination across the entire patient care continuum.

As always, we at Indiana University Health are ready to serve you. We’re working hard every day to make changes to meet our patients’ expectations and needs. But one thing never changes---our commitment to delivering preeminent care and the best possible outcomes for you and your loved ones.