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Civil rights organizations issue joint statement on SCOTUS decision in King v. Burwell

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation applauds today’s Supreme Court ruling in King v. Burwell. It is welcome news for all Americans, especially our nation’s children, many of whom are among the six million people who can still count on the Affordable Care Act for necessary health access and coverage.

As an organization dedicated to improving conditions for all children, and especially vulnerable children, we see today’s ruling as key to addressing the social determinants of health that artificially prevent some people, particularly those in communities of color, from realizing a healthy and successful life. We stand with the many organizations working to advance racial equity in order to change conditions so that all children can thrive.

La June Montgomery Tabron
President and CEO
W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The following statement was penned by several grantees of the Kellogg Foundation’s America Healing initiative – a long-term effort to improve life outcomes for vulnerable children by promoting racial equity and eliminating barriers to opportunity.

We, the undersigned organizations working to advance racial justice and health equity in the United States, are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has found that health insurance subsidies authorized by the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) will remain intact.

The Court’s ruling in the King v. Burwell case in favor of the government reinforces the fact Congress fully intended in the ACA that all individuals who purchased health insurance through the state or federal exchanges should receive premium tax-credit subsidies if they meet eligibility requirements. This ruling should lay to rest future frivolous attempts by the law’s opponents to obstruct the ACA. Indeed, we hope that this ruling sends a strong signal that the ACA is the law of the land, and that our states and federal government should now work with all deliberate speed to ensure that the law is equitably and effectively implemented. 

As a result of the ACA, an unprecedented number of individuals and families now possess health insurance. A large body of research demonstrates that lacking health insurance decreases the likelihood of receiving timely, high-quality care; places families at risk for bankruptcy should a loved one become sick and require health care; decreases productivity; and increases risk for premature mortality. Many of these risks persist and are even exacerbated in communities of color, which continue to have high rates of uninsurance relative to white Americans, and which face a higher burden of disease, disability, and premature death. With the ACA now a settled matter, and with its equitable implementation, these health inequities are likely to be significantly reduced.  We as organizations that work to advance racial equity therefor applaud the Court’s ruling, and hope that this ruling strongly discourages future specious attempts to dismantle the ACA.

It is time now to refocus our efforts and ensure that the law works as intended.  Much more needs to be done to ensure that everyone in the United States – regardless of race, ethnicity, place of birth, or English language ability – has an equitable opportunity to live a healthy life. The ACA is a necessary, but insufficient step by itself toward this goal.  But it represents the most important legislative achievement in the last 50 years to create a healthier nation. We look forward to working to build upon the gains of this historic legislation and ensuring that future generations of people in the United States will not have to fight for the right to health.

Signed:
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Demos
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Collaborative for Health Equity
National Congress of American Indians
National Council of La Raza
National Urban League
PICO National Network
Poverty & Race Research Action Council

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