(BOSTON, MA) -The following is a statement by Robert Restuccia, Executive Director of Community Catalyst, a national organization working in more than 40 states to ensure Americans have a voice in their health care system, condemning today’s ruling by Florida Federal District Court Judge Roger Vinson in Florida et al. v. DHHS et al.

“Today’s misguided ruling is just one small outcome of a well-funded, politically orchestrated effort to overturn the health care law and deny millions of Americans the health security they want and need.

“American families are already enjoying the benefits and protections of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They don’t want to go back to the days when insurance companies could arbitrarily drop their coverage when they got sick or deny coverage to their children due to pre-existing conditions. Seniors don’t want to lose the prescription drug relief they desperately need, and small businesses are counting on tax breaks to help them provide coverage to their employees.

“The ruling by Federal District Court Judge Roger Vinson represents judicial activism at its worst -two courts have already ruled the ACA constitutional, and 12 have dismissed the challenges outright. It will also have little impact on what is happening on the ground where many states are already moving ahead with implementation of the ACA. They understand that the ACA is the best opportunity to contain health care costs, extend coverage to millions of their residents who lack it, and fix our broken health care system.

“The Affordable Care Act is now the law of the land, and we believe it must be and will be upheld.”

About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all.  Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system.  With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone – especially vulnerable members of society.  For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

 

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