U.S. Supreme Court rules for insurers over $12 billion Obamacare claims

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of health insurers seeking $12 billion from the federal government under a program set up by the Obamacare law aimed at encouraging them to offer medical coverage to previously uninsured Americans.

The 8-1 ruling authored by liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor paves the way for a significant one-time cash infusion for major companies such as Humana Inc, Anthem Inc and Centene Corp. The justices reversed a lower court’s ruling that Congress had suspended the government’s obligation to make such payments.

The court agreed with insurers that said that the lower court ruling, if allowed to stand, would have let the government pull a “bait-and-switch” and withhold money the companies were promised.

“The government should honor its obligations,” Sotomayor wrote.

-snip-

SUPREME COURT APRIL 27, 2020 / 10:12 AM / UPDATED 7 MINUTES AGO
Lawrence Hurley
3 MIN READ


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-obamacare/u-s-supreme-court-rules-for-insurers-over-12-billion-obamacare-claims-idUSKCN2291Y3

---

Opinion: 18-1023 Maine Community Health Options v. United States

Alito was the lone dissenter.

[underpants]

1. Risk Corridors were an important element of Obamacare. Rubio is credited with shutting them down

As I’ve understood it, the funds are still there but Republicans halted their use.

This is actually setting up the insurance companies to act IN a free market it at least the seed money to start one. Closing the Risk Corridors was a brutal move but they just had to kill Obamacare no matter what.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Alito is consistently in the wilderness

Sometimes I feel justices are vying for credibility by going rogue on their own ideological bent in rulings where their vote won't decide the case. But the 5-4 decisions they always return to form.

[House of Roberts]

3. Going forward, however, government won't be obligated to make the payments.

This could only apply to losses by the insurance companies before the Republicans changed the law.

I wonder how much of the $12 billion gets used to try and defeat Biden?

[KS Toronado]

5. 00000 dollars

Biden wants to expand Obamacare which makes money for insurance companies , and he's against Medicare for all which would cost them money.....

[machoneman]

4. This will make the Stable Genius's head explode. Har-har!

[Sloumeau]

6. Now that Scalia is gone, Alito is often the worst person in the room. nt

[McCamy Taylor]

7. Big Business vs conservative ideology, Big Business wins!

The SCOUS is ready to strike down the ACA but not ready to deny money to big companies.