The Supreme Court of the United States today upheld the constitutionality of the 2010 health system reform law, including the individual mandate requiring all Americans to purchase health insurance. The court’s ruling has been eagerly anticipated since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted just over two years ago, and is a landmark decision affecting all Americans.
“Throughout the health reform debate, the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) has supported the principles of quality care, efficiency, and a patient-centered approach to health care delivery,” said dermatologist Daniel M. Siegel, MD, FAAD, president of the AADA. “While, in many respects, the health system reform law does not fully align with the AADA’s health reform principles, there were some positive changes with respect to insurance reform, the expansion of health care coverage to more Americans, and strengthening of wellness efforts that were included. Unfortunately, the ACA missed an opportunity to permanently fix the flawed Medicare physician payment formula or enact meaningful liability reform, and created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), all of which threaten to undermine access to care and destabilize health care delivery.”
The AADA continues to advocate for needed changes to the
health reform law.
The AADA will continue to work with Congress to ensure that additional changes are made to our health system that were not addressed in the current reform law. As the AADA continues to analyze the court’s decision on Americans' access to quality health care, we will remain actively engaged through the legislative and regulatory process to push for positive changes that preserve our ability to provide quality care for our patients. Please do not hesitate to contact our Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C., at (202) 842-3555 or by email at govtaffairs@aad.org with your health policy questions.
Related resources