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Expert Says Opposition To Obamacare Waning

Alex Proimos
/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/

A top Indiana medical ethicist says the latest Supreme Court challenges to the Affordable Care Act may fizzle out.

IUPUI law professor David Orentlicher, who also holds a medical degree from Harvard, says the longer the law remains in effect, the more people receive healthcare coverage and get used to having it.

Therefore, he adds, the more difficult it becomes to repeal.

"I think this is an issue that's alive because it's still a useful political issue," says Orentlicher. "But it's not as strong a political issue as it was two years ago and I doubt it will be as strong a political issue in two years."

Orentlicher says challengers have been making concessions and coming up with possible replacements to Obamacare rather than wiping out the law.

At issue is whether ACA government subsidies should only be available in states that created their own health insurance exchanges or whether they‘re available to those who buy health insurance from either the state or federal exchanges.

The high court is also examining the case in which Indiana is suing the Internal Revenue Service.

The state and numerous school districts are arguing local governments aren‘t subject to the ACA‘s employer mandate because subsidies are only available to buyers through state-run exchanges.

Indiana participates in the federally-run exchange.

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