Courage Center's response to Supreme Court's health care law ruling

Courage Center is thrilled – and relieved – that the Supreme Court has upheld the requirement for all Americans to purchase health insurance as required by the Affordable Care Act.

“Individuals with disabilities and complex medical conditions will be assured of health coverage and will not face discriminatory coverage policies against those with pre-existing conditions as a result of this ruling,” said Courage Center CEO Jan Malcolm.

Many provisions of the Act benefiting the hardest and most expensive to serve individuals in the health system have already taken effect, including:

• Prohibiting discriminatory policies that refuse coverage to children  with pre-existing health conditions (this protection will be extended to adults in 2014) ;
• Removal of annual and lifetime caps on benefits paid for needed services;
• Extending coverage to adult dependents until age 26 - a significant benefit to parents of children with disabilities or high health needs; and
• Lower prescription drug costs through the Medicare program. (More than seven million Americans under age 65 with disabilities – and about 50,000 Minnesotans – get their prescription drug coverage through the Medicare program.)

The Act also supports the creation of new delivery models which will be essential to reducing health care costs and improving quality. Courage Center is one of seven Minnesota organizations, including the Mayo Clinic and the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, to receive funds from the Health Care Innovation fund created by the health reform law.