Supreme Court Upholds Healthcare Reform

Sheldon Blumling, a partner in the Irvine office and a member of the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group, was quoted in several articles about the Supreme Court's decision on June 28 to uphold the majority of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). In the AZ Business Magazine article "High Court Upholds Key Part Of Obama Health Care Law" Sheldon said, "Now that the Supreme Court has removed the uncertainty surrounding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, it's time for employers to get to work."

In the Orange County Register article "Business Gives Health Care Case Mixed Reviews" he noted that, "A lot of people have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a decision before they line things up." He said they need to sit down and start running the numbers to determine the financial impact — whether they decide to provide the mandated insurance or opt to pay a penalty instead.

Quoted in the Memphis Business Journal article "Obamacare Affirmed: It's Time For Employers To Get To Work" Sheldon said, "Employers will be extremely busy getting their health care houses in order" before the business mandates take effect in 2014. He added that it's critical for small business owners to do their homework and ensure they completely understand exactly how to remain compliant with the law.

In the Bloomberg Businessweek article "Obamacare's Here to Stay. What Do Business Leaders Do Now?" Sheldon noted that the really tough choices lie with smaller employers. Faced with the prospect of higher costs to comply with the law, they may choose to stop offering coverage altogether if they decide the penalties are cheaper than the administrative costs of running a broader plan. He noted that an employer could send everyone out into the open market to buy coverage on a health insurance exchange. "Nobody really knows yet what kind of coverage you'll get there for your money."