Tagged: affordable care act

As part yesterday's Supreme Court decision on Obama's health care law, the justices ruled the federal government can't revoke states' Medicaid funding for failing to comply with the law's required Medicaid  expansion. And as Véronique LaCapra reports, that could leave some Missourians without access to health insurance.

Regional news coverage from the KBIA newsroom, including:

• Top Mo. Republicans have no intention of expanding Medicaid eligibility
• Lt. Gov. Kinder reacts to Affordable Care Act decision
• Columbia cooling centers provide relief from the heat

The Supreme Court has upheld President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul plan — the Affordable Care Act. In a 5-4 decision on Thursday, the Court determined that although Congress didn’t have the power of commerce to force Americans to buy health insurance, Congress does have the power to implement a tax. And in this case, the Court finds the penalty for not buying health insurance by 2014 to be a valid tax.

Top Missouri Republicans say they have no intention of expanding Medicaid eligibility as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling on the federal health care law.

The high court struck down a provision Thursday that threatened states with the loss of existing federal Medicaid dollars if they refuse to expand coverage to adults earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. That ruling essentially makes the expansion optional for states.

House Majority Leader Tim Jones says the Republican-led Legislature will not consider the expansion.

The U.S. Supreme Court will likely rule on the fate of the federal health care reform law this Thursday. That ruling could affect provisions of the law aimed at improving health in rural America.