On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court handed down its historic ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with the sole exception that Congress cannot penalize states that decline to expand Medicaid. What does the court’s decision mean for the ACA’s economic viability and the potential to provide health coverage for most Americans? What are the challenges facing President Obama’s signature health care legislation and how might the presidential election affect the fate of the ACA?
Carolyn Long Engelhard is a health policy analyst at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, where she also directs the Health Policy Program in the Department of Public Health Sciences. Ms. Engelhard’s academic activities include studying and monitoring changes in health policy at the federal and state governmental levels and teaching in both the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Medicine. In 2007, Ms. Engelhard co-authored a book looking at the myths surrounding the U.S. health care system. In 2009, Ms. Engelhard completed a project in conjunction with the nonpartisan Urban Institute examining the use of public policies to reduce obesity. More recently, Ms. Engelhard co-authored an article in the New England Journal of Medicine examining health insurance premium rating regulation under the new health care reform bill, and completed a textbook chapter examining the effect of the new law on health care organizations.
Ms. Engelhard spoke at the Wednesday, September 12, 2012 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at the Senior Center in Charlottesville. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV Vice President Bob McGrath.