North Texans Cheer, Reject Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Affordable Care Act

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NORTH TEXAS (CBS11) - Linda Berman of Lake Dallas says she's ecstatic about the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling upholding federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. "If I would have been on the ground, I would have jumped for joy, yes, yeah!"

She says she will still be able to see her doctor, and remembers when she couldn't afford health care. "I was without insurance for over five years because of a pre-existing condition, and one one would insure me in Texas."

Berman says she's among those who went bankrupt paying tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
So she was glad when she learned last year she qualified for a $645 dollar a month federal subsidy under the Affordable Care Act. Berman says, "I believe everybody in Texas should be entitled to quality medical care. And you shouldn't have to file bankruptcy because of medical condition."

Lemlem Berhe of Duncanville is also cheering she'll get to keep her subsidy. When she was laid off, she says she went without health insurance for two months before qualifying for $545 each month under the law.

Berhe insists she never worried about the Supreme Court's pending decision. "I'm a positive person so I was counting on the sensibility of the Supreme Court that would not let millions of people go without."

The Supreme Court ruled the exchanges set-up by the federal government in states like Texas that didn't set up their own exchanges are part of the law, even though the legislation approved by Congress in 2010 only mentioned the state exchanges.

While President Barack Obama and Democrats celebrated, Republicans and Conservatives including Garland Tea Party leader Katrina Pierson feel very differently about the ruling. "I'm extremely disappointed. It is a lose-lose situation to have such a horrible, horrible process in place."

Pierson says she believes the federal government should not dictate the health insurance industry -- and should leave it up to the free market and individuals. "Prior to Obamacare, you could not purchase insurance outside state lines, which kept costs high. When you force those companies to compete, that usually drives down prices becasue they're competing for business."

Former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas voted against the President's health care law along with every Republican in Congress. "I think Obamacare has done some good things, but I think the harm to our health care system is very real. If I were in the Senate today, I would be trying now to assure that the prescriptive nature of Obamacare, goes away, so that employers can have incentives to offer this very important fringe benefit their employees."

Pierson adds, "If people are being told they shouldn't be told they should be getting subsidies that is a personal preference, there are probably some who agree with her because they're also accepting subsidies. The problem in lies with the federal government making these decisions."

In response, Linda Berman says, "All the people tell me we don't want to waste money on you, they all have health insurance. I'm tired of being told I'm not important enough."

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