The ruling holds that the Affordable Care Act authorized federal tax credits for eligible Americans living not only in states with their own exchanges but also in the 34 states with federal marketplaces. It staved off a major political showdown and a mad scramble in states that would have needed to act to prevent millions from losing health care coverage.
Chief Justice John Roberts while announcing the ruling said: “Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them,” Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. “If at all possible, we must interpret the Act in a way that is consistent with the former, and avoids the latter.”
While delivering the ruling, he was joined by Justice Anthony Kennedy and four other liberal judges. Antonin Scalia wrote the dissent, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
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When Justice John Roberts finished, Roberts announced that Scalia would read a dissent.
“Indeed,” the veteran justice replied, sparking laughter in the Court and offering a preview of the stinging repudiation of the majority opinion he was about to unfurl.
Scalia called the ruling “wonderfully convenient,” complaining about “interpretative jiggery-pokery” and arguing it was not the Court’s job to make up for the sloppy drafting of the law by Congress.
President Obama Reacts:
An elated president Obama while reacting to the ruling of the Supreme court said; ACA is here to stay. In a series of tweets posted on his twitter page, reiterated that the Affordable Care Act is what America needs to move forward.
“In America, health care is not a privilege for the few but a right for all.” —President Obama
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 25, 2015
“The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.” —President Obama #ACAWorks
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 25, 2015
“When the dust has settled, there can be no doubt that this law is working.” —President Obama #ACAWorks
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 25, 2015