The Fate of Obamacare

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The Fate of Obamacare

Louisiana’s Attorney General, Jeff Landry, is one of 20 attorney generals joining the Texas V Azar lawsuit, which is the latest in a series of lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Former President Obama’s national health care system change.

They’re suing the federal government by arguing the health care law is invalid now that Congress has effectively eliminated the individual mandate. The individual mandate was the tax penalty for not buying health insurance, which was a big part of Obama’s health care plan. In 2017, Congress passed President Trump’s tax bill which reduced the individual mandate fine to $0 once the law takes effect in 2019.

The 20 attorney generals argue that Obama’s entire law is invalid without the mandate, including even the parts unrelated to the mandate. California and 15 other states have filed a countersuit to defend Obama’s law, while the U.S. Attorney General’s office is staying neutral to the lawsuits.

The effects of these lawsuits could spill over to hit the broader and more popular market for employer-based insurances. Obama’s law mostly zeroed in on the individual market; however, companies were also affected.

Currently, employers have to provide health insurance to workers within their first 90 days of employment, but a change in health care law could allow employers to impose longer waiting periods for health coverage. There are other changes the lawsuit could bring that would affect how companies provide coverage.

The biggest thing the attorney generals are pushing for is to remove the employer coverage mandate entirely.

Louisiana healthcare professionals are varied in their opinions on the lawsuits, but they agree that business owners shouldn’t be worried about the changes in the law. It will take a few years to go through the courts and have any effects on business.

If you have questions about the health care law or its changes, reach out to us at AWS Insurance.

1 Comment
  • Samantha Greenwood
    Posted at 08:33h, 30 July

    I’m glad someone is keeping us updated in insurance news.

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Melinda Martin

Account Executive

Melinda began her insurance career in 1985 with Alexander & Alexander where she received her Property & Casualty and Life & Health license. Since then she has worked at various agencies in the New Orleans area and in California as a senior account manager for Employee Benefit Plans.  While in California, she was also the Membership Director for the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. Melinda joined the AWS team in July of 2015.

Michael A. Seeling

Vice President

Graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a B.A. in Insurance Risk Management and is a graduate of Archbishop Rummel High School in New Orleans. He joined AWS in October of 2008 and has been awarded the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Certification (PPACA). Additionally, he is working towards his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), and Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC) designations. He is also a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), National Association of Insurance Financial Advisors (NAIFA), and is an active member of the Fore!Kids foundation.

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