SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) -
Gov. Rick Snyder today issued the following statement on the Supreme Court ruling:
"The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is legislation that misses the point on the most important reforms needed in our health care system. In the meantime, it has been a detriment to the economic recovery of our country by causing massive uncertainty regarding medical costs which discourages job creation.
"The greatest health care opportunity to our citizens is prevention in terms of both personal quality of life and societal costs. The Michigan Health and Wellness 4 x 4 Plan is a good starting point as it is aimed at reducing obesity and improving overall wellness in Michiganders by focusing on four healthy behaviors and four health measures.
"In addition to addressing wellness, our nation needs to make a systematic review of the cost structures of our health care system. We have great people in our system, but we have built a system that focuses on spending more and more to solve acute care problems rather than a person-centered medical home model focused on the overall well-being of the individual.
"While I may not agree with everything in the law, now that the Supreme Court has essentially upheld the Act, we must act quickly to avoid an undue burden on Michigan residents and job providers. Working with our legislative leaders to establish the MiHealth Marketplace will allow Michiganders to make decisions regarding what will be covered as opposed to Washington, D.C. making those decisions for us. It will also allow us to draw down federal dollars to assist with the costs of complying with the law.
"Implementing this law will require an immense amount of coordination between the public and private sectors. We plan on working closely with Michigan consumers, businesses and health providers to ensure that the decisions we make have as much of a positive impact on Michigan as possible."
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., issued the following statement today on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act:
"Today's Supreme Court ruling is an important step toward universal health care coverage, which is long overdue. It ensures that millions of Americans who have health insurance will be more able to depend on their coverage without fear of losing it to the whims of an insurance company. It ensures that millions more who do not have insurance today will not be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. And it ensures that millions of parents will be able to keep their children covered to age 26. I have always believed in the law's ability to make a real and positive difference in peoples' lives, and I'm gratified that the court's decision protects the interests of American families who have so much to gain from health insurance reform.
"We were right to rein in the power that insurance companies held over our health care. I believe Americans will broadly support today's decision, and that they will reject Republican attempts, already announced, to deprive Americans of the protections of the Affordable Care Act by repealing it."
Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the constitutionality of the Democrats' health care law:
"While I respect the ruling of the Court, they have granted the federal government unlimited power to intrude on the private lives of American citizens. I do not believe our Founding Fathers would have ever contemplated a federal government with this much power. This is a dangerous day for the future of civil liberties and the principle of limited government this country was founded on. This ruling ensures that Americans will now face an untenable choice of either paying a massive tax or higher insurance premiums. I will continue to fight to repeal the entire law and craft commonsense solutions that address the most critical challenge facing families and job creators – the high cost of health care."
Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act:
"Today's decision by the Supreme Court finally puts to rest the questions about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. This is a big victory for Michigan families and for all Americans. The Supreme Court's decision means our country and Michigan can finally move forward in fully implementing the Affordable Care Act.
This historic law expands healthcare coverage to 37 million uninsured Americans and removes the barriers that deny coverage to millions of Americans. The law eliminates caps on coverage, ends discrimination against pre-existing conditions, stops insurance companies from dropping sick people and allows children to stay on their parent's insurance until they are 26 years old.
Under the healthcare law, 22,000 uninsured residents in my district now have access to healthcare, 2,000 young adults will be able to stay on their parents' plans, and up to 278,000 residents with pre-existing conditions will no longer be denied coverage. The law allows people to keep their current insurance and continue to see the doctors of their choice, while expanding coverage to virtually every American."
U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra issued the following statement after the Supreme Court ruling on the government takeover of health care:
"The health care law is unpopular because the American people now see that it will bankrupt the country, put Washington bureaucrats between them and their doctors, and cause prices to go up and quality of care to go down," said Hoekstra. "We need to repeal the government takeover of health care and replace it with common sense, free market solutions that will provide affordable and accessible health care for all."
Hoekstra voted against the government takeover of health care when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He advocated for common sense solutions such as allowing small businesses to join together to negotiate prices, improving Health Savings Accounts, reforming medical malpractice lawsuits and providing tax equity for individuals purchasing health care plans.
"I have traveled across the state meeting with small businesses and have heard from them about the negative impacts the mandates and taxes will have on their survival. We need to repeal the government takeover of health care before it does any more harm to our economy and the quality of care," said Hoekstra. "We need new leadership with a new senator from Michigan and a new president to stop families from losing their current health care plans and stop the country from spiraling further into debt."
Michigan Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act:
"The Supreme Court's decision is a major victory for middle class families throughout Michigan. The Affordable Care Act, the first major healthcare reform in decades, provides security for countless children, parents and workers throughout our state who otherwise could not afford or would be denied healthcare coverage. It makes Michigan healthier and our families more financially secure. I applaud the court for putting aside the false and politically motivated attacks against the Affordable Care Act and doing the right thing for the American people."
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Obama's health care tax:
"Today's Supreme Court decision makes one thing clear: we must redouble our efforts to change leadership in the U.S. Senate and the White House to undo this burdensome Obama health care tax that will punish those who cannot afford health insurance and is stifling job creation in America.
"No court can change the facts about this disastrous law. The law has not made health care more affordable as President Obama promised it would. Health insurance premiums are 18 percent higher today than they were in 2009. The law has not allowed families to keep their existing coverage as President Obama promised it would. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that by 2016, at least 4 million Americans will lose their employer-sponsored coverage. Finally, the law does not reduce our budget deficit. Instead, new estimates reveal that the law's $2.5 trillion in new spending will actually increase our deficit and worsen our long-term budget outlook."
U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter made this statement following the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act:
"This errant decision is the bitter fruit of an inverted jurisprudence that no longer inquires what the government can do, but what the government can't do. Fortunately, this fall the Supreme Court's error can and will be reversed by the ultimate power in America - her sovereign citizens."
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak issued the following statement regarding the decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold ObamaCare:
"We are disappointed with the Court's decision. However, it is clear that ObamaCare harms middle class families, job creators and individual liberty, and defeating ObamaCare begins on Nov. 6 when we elect Mitt Romney president. ObamaCare cripples job creators, discourages economic growth and creates new taxes on wheelchairs and insulin pumps. Americans deserve better, and real reform begins when we repeal all of ObamaCare. Republicans are fired-up and ready to work hard to defeat Pres. Obama and repeal this law in order to create real healthcare reform that put's middle class families and job creators first."
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today issued the following statement in response to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court which upheld the controversial "individual mandate" of the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010, commonly known as "Obamacare":
"I am deeply disappointed with this ruling by the United States Supreme Court. I am extremely concerned as well, about the impact of this decision on the personal liberties and basic Constitutional rights of Americans.
"Today's decision raises the stakes – does the reach of federal government have any limits at all? If the federal government can force you to purchase a product or pay a hefty fine, there is virtually no limit to what it can compel you to do.
"I will carefully review all aspects of this ruling. Today's opinion only strengthens my resolve to work with other national leaders to repeal ObamaCare and fight for and defend the Constitution."
Schuette agreed with the dissent by Justices Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas and Alito, which said:
The values that should have determined our course today are caution, minimalism, and the understanding that the Federal Government is one of limited powers. But the Court's ruling undermines those values at every turn. In the name of restraint, it overreaches. In the name of constitutional avoidance, it creates new constitutional questions. In the name of cooperative federalism, it undermines state sovereignty. [p.65]
U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10) made the following statement commenting on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling of the President's health care law:
"We are a nation of laws and as such I respect today's ruling by the Supreme Court that upheld Obamacare. Ultimately in our American democracy the people rule through their elected representatives and the people do not want this law. In two weeks the House of Representatives will vote to repeal Obamacare and I will once again support the wishes of my constituents and vote in favor of repealing this misguided law."
Copyright WNEM 2012 (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
The Supreme Court justices
