New Mexicans had mixed reactions Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court decision
let the majority of a health care reform act stay in place.
Republicans here blasted the court's decision and pledged to work to
overturn it while Democrats issued statements of support for the ruling, which
many consider among the court's most important work in years.
"Today's Supreme Court decision ups the stakes for the future of our
country," Republican Party of New Mexico chairman Monty Newman said in a
statement.
"It is clearly a choice between two futures. Now, the only way to save
the country from the White House's government takeover of health care is to
elect a new president," he said. "ObamaCare has damaged our economy and taken
decision-making power out of the hands of families. That is unacceptable."
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall in a statement applauded the decision and said
everyone working on the issue knew the decision wouldn't be easy.
"The Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act is the
best possible outcome for the American people. Today, quality, affordable
health care is a major step closer to becoming a reality for millions of
Americans who live one accident or diagnosis away from losing everything. For
these families, health care is an economic matter with the very real
consequences of life, death and bankruptcy," the Democrat said.
New Mexico, with one of the nation's highest rate of uninsured residents,
stands to see big changes from the ruling in the number of people who will be
covered by Medicaid. That means health care companies and the state must now
gear up for the increase in patients seeking care. Roughly a quarter of the
state's residents are uninsured.
The ruling means nearly everyone in the country must buy health insurance
or be fined. It also requires states to amplify Medicaid coverage, although
The New York Times reported that the "ruling gives states some flexibility not
to expand their Medicaid programs, without paying the same financial penalties
that the law called for." It keeps provisions including those allowing young
adults up to age 26 to stay on their parents' insurance plan and those
requiring insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions.
Companies also can't deny or limit coverage for people under 19 with
pre-existing conditions.
Other New Mexicans planned a press conference in Albuquerque this
afternoon with reaction to the decision.
Steve O'Dell, senior vice president at Molina Healthcare said the company
is prepared to busy for the foreseeable future.
Molina Healthcare of New Mexico has 89,000 members and expects untold
more.
With the upholding of the act, O'Dell said the company is looking at
"hyper growth." Already, the growth for the company and the number of people
it serves is "substantial," he said.
The company is in the process of expanding into five new states, he said.
It in February opened a clinic in Santa Fe, has one underway and another one
planned in Albuquerque, as well as a separate clinic lined up in Las Cruces.
"With that additional volume of people coming in, there are going to be
substantial access issues," he said.
