Law360 quoted Manatt's Melinda Dutton, a partner in the firm's Healthcare practice, for an article on why the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in King v. Burwell is important. The court ruled that consumer subsidies can continue flowing through all of the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplace, protecting tax credits distributed to nearly 6.5 million consumers on 34 federal establish exchanges.
Dutton said, "This was a common sense decision based on the clear intent of Congress to provide tax subsidies to people throughout the country. It preserves health security for consumers, and gives states the freedom to move forward without the risk of market disruption. Over time, states that have deferred to the federal government on insurance markets regulation are likely to reassert their oversight role by adopting or strengthening state-based exchanges or active partnerships with the federal government. States may also look to partner with the federal government on delivery system reform and other ACA initiatives, as well as reconsider Medicaid expansion."
Read the article here.