Obamacare upheld, gov calls "victory"

BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Beacon Hill has nothing but praise for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Obama’s landmark national health care law.

“Today’s decision is a victory for the American people, a victory for the proper role of government and a victory for our system of constitutional checks and balances,” said Gov. Deval Patrick.

Patrick said 30 million Americans without health care will now have it.  President Obama’s Affordable Care Act will require everyone in the country to purchase health insurance and prevent companies from denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.

“This is a very good day for us, for the country.  But more importantly is upholds the Massachusetts health care law, which we have had in place now since 2006,” said Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth).

“What the law provides in terms of health care for all the citizens of this country, I think it’s very important,” said House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop).

Patrick rebuked former Governor Mitt Romney for his remarks following the Supreme Court’s decision.  Romney said Obama’s national health care law, which was itself modeled after Romney’s Massachusetts health care bill, would slow business growth, add to the federal deficit and expand government.  

“Every one of the list of horrors Governor Romney now says will happen in America because of Obamacare, did not happen in Massachusetts because of Romney care,” said Patrick.

Health advocates said the key changes we’ll see in Massachusetts is more federal money that will allow the state to expand Medicaid and Mass Health and guarantee a free visit to your primary doctor once a year. 

“There’ll be federal funding that comes to enhance our ability to expand our Mass Health program,” said Amy Whitcomb Slemmer, the executive director at Health Care For All.  “It means we are solid for having coverage for folks up to age 26 and for seniors who live in Massachusetts it means …the cost of their prescription drugs will become less.”