Fox 40 WICZ
6/28/12
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=23923
Across the nation and here in the Southern Tier reactions are mixed to Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Obama Affordable Health Care Act.
During the afternoon, dozens of people from Citizen Action celebrated outside the federal courthouse in downtown Binghamton.
They say that now, everyone will be able to afford health care.
However, local Republicans warn that the cost of the President’s plan will be too much for the country to bear.
“It was just very very disappointing for a lot of us, when they came out with this decision and you just have no idea when you go before a court how a judge is going to react to something,” said David Hamlin the chairman of Broome County Republican Party.
“This was such an important piece of legislation that has improved the lives of so many American’s, so many New Yorkers already, and there’s much more to come, and we’re really excited about today’s Supreme Court decision,” said Lea Webb, Chair of HCFANY Racial and Ethnic Disparities.
Citizen Action says that their next step is to establish the Health-Care Exchange in New York State, that would allow consumers to shop for health insurance that suits them whether they’re under public or private insurance.
One of the more popular parts of the Affordable Care Act is the provision that allows young people to stay on their parents’ health care plan until they are 26 years old.
On the BU campus, some students were relieved to know they will still have that option after graduation.
“It means that it’s less money that I have to budget otherwise. It’s helpful,” said BU graduate student Stephanie Carmeiro.
“I know a lot of people it’s going to help. College is really expensive anyway so having to budget for insurance is a lot of money,” said BU graduate student Harlee Pratt.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2.5 million young people have gained coverage thanks to this provision.
