Koch Brothers Want GOP Governors To Leave Their Constituents Hanging If Supreme Court Guts Obamacare [View all]

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Koch Brothers Want GOP Governors To Leave Their Constituents Hanging If Supreme Court Guts Obamacare

by Katelyn Harrop at Think Progress

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/06/23/3672950/koch-brothers-king-burwell/

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If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, the majority of states will be left scrambling to build their own exchanges if they want to preserve their residents’ access to subsidies. However, Koch-funded special interest group Americans for Prosperity, which self-identifies as “the nation’s foremost advocate for health care freedom,” is ready to pressure Republican lawmakers to stay away from the creation of state-level exchanges.

“The President’s healthcare law is a disaster that has left a trail of broken promises throughout its history, which explains why 37 states have chosen NOT to participate in his planned healthcare exchanges,” said Americans for Prosperity in a press release earlier this month. “We urge the President to take off his rose colored glasses and have a realistic look at the havoc Obamacare is causing, and the negative impact his signature law is having on so many American families.”

Americans for Prosperity has been a longtime outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act, plugging 35 million into fighting against the ACA as of 2014 and releasing four state-specific, anti-Obamacare television ads targeting voters in Colorado, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Louisiana. The group is known for promoting its right-wing ideals through deep-pocketed contributions from David and Charles Koch, who hold a cumulative $83.6 billion net worth.

The closely watched King v. Burwell case questions the legality of distributing tax subsides through Obamacare’s federally operated exchange, better known as healthcare.gov, which became the default for states that refused to create their own state-run insurance marketplaces. According to the plaintiffs, the health law states that tax subsidies are available only in exchanges “established by the state,” while the federal government argues the financial assistance was always intended for both types of marketplaces.




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