Judge’s Attempt to Strike Down the ACA Shows Why Health Care Reform is So Urgent

Last Friday, Judge Reed O’Connor of the Federal District Court in Fort Worth issued a summary judgement in a lawsuit known as Texas v. United States. Appeals are expected, but if the ruling were to stand, it would strike down the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA). That could end health care coverage for millions of Americans who get insurance through the exchanges or Medicare expansion.

The case, known as Texas v. U.S., lays bare the flaws of the ACA. Yes, the ACA has made health care accessible and affordable for many who would otherwise fall through the cracks, but it is a legislative, administrative, and economic mess. From the beginning, it has been at risk of collapsing from its own complexity. The new ruling shows more dramatically than ever why we need real health care reform.

A health care system to be ashamed of

The U.S. health care system is a national disgrace. Americans pay more for health care than people in other high-income countries, but we have far less to show for it. I’ve used this chart before, but here it is again, in case you missed it: