Published on June 18, 2021
Updated on June 25, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Berry Edwards
Lisa.Edwards@preventcancer.org
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in California v. Texas, securing health care coverage for millions of Americans.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 31 million people have health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”
In a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court Justices ruled to dismiss the challenges brought against the 2010 law, stating that the 18 Republican-led states and two individuals who brought the suit had no legal right to pursue the case. The nature of this ruling not only dismisses challenges brought against the ACA but makes it more difficult for similar suits to be filed, further engraining the ACA into the American health care system.
“The Supreme Court’s decision protects millions of people, especially those with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer,” said Carolyn Aldigé, Founder and CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation®. “In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical community is bracing for more late-stage cancer diagnoses due to postponed or cancelled screenings. Protecting the ACA means more Americans will have the care they need.”
The Foundation believes in access to health care for all Americans, particularly those with complex care needs, as well as access to preventive services that are proven to save lives and save millions of dollars in health care expenses.
As part of the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration has extended the Special Enrollment Period to purchase health insurance coverage until August 15. Visit healthcare.gov to enroll in a plan.
About the Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is celebrating 35 years as the only U.S. nonprofit organization focused solely on saving lives across all populations through cancer prevention and early detection. Through research, education, outreach and advocacy, we have helped countless people avoid a cancer diagnosis or detect their cancer early enough to be successfully treated.
The Foundation is rising to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035. To achieve this, we are committed to investing $20 million for innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening, $10 million to expand cancer screening and vaccination access to medically underserved communities, and $10 million to educate the public about screening and vaccination options.
For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.
