Update: West Seattle’s Constantine, Cody, McDermott on health-care ruling

You’ve probably heard already that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld most of of President Obama’s health-care law (here’s what it means for our state). The first West Seattle politician to comment is King County Executive Dow Constantine – his statement, ahead (10:25 AM UPDATE – we also have heard from West Seattle’s State Rep. Eileen Cody and County Councilmember Joe McDermott, and are adding their statements after Constantine’s):

“I celebrate the Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold the Affordable Care Act. A stable, healthier future has been made possible by this ruling. This is affirmation of our nationwide bold move toward achieving quality affordable health care, and we are moving in the right direction. And for the nearly quarter of a million people in King County who do not have health insurance this is truly a welcome life-and-death decision.

I would like to extend my thanks to the members of our Washington State congressional delegation who championed the Affordable Care Act. They should be proud of their work on this historic legislation.

Even as today’s ruling upholds the Affordable Care Act, we are not going to rest on our laurels and turn away from efforts to reach those in need; we will continue to make the healthcare system more efficient. We owe it to our residents to keep searching for solutions to the healthcare issues that affect both their money and their health.”

Side note: When we covered Congressmember Jim McDermott’s Q/A appearance in White Center last month, he predicted the health-care law would be upheld, seeing Chief Justice Roberts as the swing vote – which he was today.

ADDED 10:21 AM: From Rep. Eileen Cody, the West Seattleite who chairs the state House Health Care and Wellness Committee:

“This is a good decision that means Washington state – and America – can keep moving forward on health reform.

“The best part about this is now we can focus on lowering the cost of health care instead of backing up and trying to cover all people. This will help cover the uninsured, which is where we had to work so hard in the past. Now we can put a lot more energy into lowering costs.

“The people of Washington state have already benefitted greatly from the Affordable Care Act, with smaller copayments for preventive health screenings and prescriptions, the ability to keep young people on their parents’ insurance plans, and millions in federal dollars for public health services.

“Even today, there are almost one million people in Washington with no health insurance. That’s a problem that costs ALL of us: taxpayers, businesses, and families who do have coverage.

“Making sure more people and more businesses can afford health coverage is the smart thing to do – and it’s the right thing to do.”

10:25 AM UPDATE: We’ve also heard from County Councilmember Joe McDermott of West Seattle, chair of the county Board of Health:

“I’m relieved that the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act and that the political pandering of many state attorneys general from across the Country proved futile.

“No complex law is perfect, but the Affordable Care Act is a significant step toward a more perfect union. The law is vital as we work to provide more affordable health care for all Americans.

“I urge Congress to protect the law’s Prevention & Public Health Fund to support our efforts in driving down the costs of health care.

“Today’s ruling clears the way for nearly a quarter of a million people in King County who do not have health insurance to finally have affordable options in 2014.

“I look forward to continued work in monitoring and supporting the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.”

50 Replies to "Update: West Seattle's Constantine, Cody, McDermott on health-care ruling"

  • JanS June 28, 2012 (8:19 am)

    I think this decision caught a lot of people off guard. So many thought it was a slam dunk for being struck down.

  • marty June 28, 2012 (8:33 am)

    I see the stock market is showing it’s opinion of the decision, -140 points.

  • jsw June 28, 2012 (8:55 am)

    just what we need…another “tax”…

  • vraxvalhalla June 28, 2012 (8:56 am)

    Who cares what Dow Constantine has to say on the matter? Not sure how this is relevant West Seattle news other than the weak nexus of Constantine’s residency.

  • boy June 28, 2012 (9:02 am)

    there goes the constitution. With any luck we can be in the same shape as france and greece. Get ready for your company to drop your insurance and tell you to jump on obama care. Oh I can’t wait to find out what obama mandates what else we must buy.

  • Teri Ensley June 28, 2012 (9:05 am)

    It’s a great day for all of us. We are going to pay for health care one way or the other, so let’s do it up front and take care of people.

  • rw June 28, 2012 (9:06 am)

    I agree with what Mr. Constantine says. This ruling, and the current health care reform measures (I cringe at the term ‘Obamacare’) are not destinations in themselves. Health care reform and health care cost control must continue to move forward. The current compromise measures are flawed, but I really wish Republicans and conservatives would quite trying to roll back the clock and instead work to make the current system more responsive and affordable. Because the court did not do their dirty work for them, Republicans now will likely run on a “turn back the clock” health care platform. We’ll see how well that plays.

  • Big Phil June 28, 2012 (9:07 am)

    Not sure why it caught anyone by surprise. It was the only option, given the facts of the case.

    RE: Roberts: “”The federal government does not have the power to order people to buy health insurance,” he wrote in the majority opinion. “The federal government does have the power to impose a tax on those without health insurance…”

  • robindianne June 28, 2012 (9:12 am)

    Whooot woot!

  • natinstl June 28, 2012 (9:38 am)

    I agree with rw. We cannot keep on the current track as far as healthcare in this country goes so at the very least it is a step in the right direction in my opinion. Healthcare should not be tied to your job and insurers need to be able to sell across state lines.

  • Jack Spara June 28, 2012 (9:47 am)

    get used to the phrases:

    “Please take a number”
    “Our next appointment opening is in 6 months”
    “Sorry, you are too old to have that life saving procedure, our end of life couceling phone number is xxxx”

    “My child is in jail for not paying his manditory healthcare payments”.

    The good news, your illegal immigrants are ahead of you in line and pay NOTHING for the same healthcare….please continue to work hard so you can pay for them and yourselves. ALso, all those weathly politicians and Obama’s MANY UNION exceptions will simply go to front of line or other countries for their healthcare…

    Thanks Pres and Pelosi….

    I’m NOT better off today and if you think you are you’re silly !!!!

  • JanS June 28, 2012 (10:28 am)

    Jack Spara, there is no basis in fact re:what you are claiming. If there is, please cite links, etc. Oh, you don’t have any?

  • CanDo June 28, 2012 (10:39 am)

    If you think there aren’t “take a number” offices now and “you’re too old” clauses in existing insurance policies, as well as offices booked months in advance, you are likely among the privileged few who can afford to see the highest priced doctors in the land – something most ordinary insured, underinsured or not at all insured Americans are unable to enjoy.

    And by the way, this bill specifically excludes illegal immigrants from any of these provisions.

  • G June 28, 2012 (10:40 am)

    Pharms are licking their chops as they see millions of more medicine cabinets opened up to their tranquillizers, anti-depressants, sleep inducers, etc.

    Here we come with Brave New World’s “a soma in time saves nine!”

  • me June 28, 2012 (10:50 am)

    You people are fools if you believe anything that comes out of the mouth of this presidental lackey. He is a Liar, a hypocrite and a master manipulator to the sheep that elect to follow him.

    The question of “Are you better off now than 4 years ago” (no btw), should be “will your children be better off 4 years from now?” The answer is a indisputable NO, not under this administration.

    As a business owner, I have layoffs to attend to…

  • Jack Spara June 28, 2012 (11:02 am)

    Explain how those “take a number” offices today will facilitate the increased encounters without an increase in available physicians…those family practioners are decreasing due to malpractice insurance craziness and administrative overhead…”take a number that’s alot farther away from currently served”

    Illegals, so we keep payin’ for those the ol’ fashion way, via our MOST expensive means, the emergency room…maybe King Obama can also make up his own interepation of whether we have to pay for that or make hospitals eat it. Hmmm….

    Better off today?

  • jedifarfy June 28, 2012 (11:19 am)

    Hooray! Affordable health care! People get sick whether they have insurance or not. Now, instead of racking up bills they can never afford, or skipping out on them entirely, people will get the care they need at a price they can pay. No one should go without because of their financial situation.

  • WSTroll June 28, 2012 (11:22 am)

    It is funny that liberals think this is a win and conservatives think this a loss. This is a republican plan. We have all been played. The only winner here is big insurance.

  • $$ June 28, 2012 (11:27 am)

    jedifarfy

    and who do you think is going to pay for that “affordable health care”??? The Middle Class…who will be tomorrows Lower Class because of these new “taxes” forced on us…

    and when have you ever seen anyone in this country “go without” needed health care because they could not afford it???

  • Smitty June 28, 2012 (11:30 am)

    I though the administration was adamant that the mandate was not a tax?

    How do they reconcile the fact that the decision calls it a tax?

    Will the media even ask this question?

    Can’t wait for my healthcare costs to go down though! When do you guys think it will start to kick in? Fun to watch……of course, there is always one of the two tried and true Obama lines when costs, in fact do. It go down.

    “it was worse than we thought”!

    “They would have gone up faster”!!!!!!!!!

    The good news is that this will really rally the troops come November…..

  • West Seattleite June 28, 2012 (11:45 am)

    Surprising decision and a good one.

  • JanS June 28, 2012 (11:58 am)

    misinformation about small business requirements under the new healthcare law. Only those small businesses with over 50 employees will have to insure their employees effective in 2014. 96% of all small businesses have under have under 50 employees, so that requirement would not apply. And those that have 25-50 employees mostly all already provide health insurance for their employees. And if they are happy with that coverage, they can keep it. So, “me”, if your company has less than 50 employees, you don’t get to use the healthcare law as an excuse to lay people off. Try again.

    Jack Spara. I have a life threatening disease. I am 65 years old. I have never, ever had to take a number, wait 6 months to see any doctor, ever, even when I had no insurance. If you do on a regular basis, I would suggest changing doctors, as they don’t manage their offices very well. And, please, stop using Fox News scare tactics of misinformation. You have no facts to back up what you’re claiming.

  • Middlefork June 28, 2012 (12:03 pm)

    In 2008, under the leadership of GWB, as Lehman Bros. collapsed and the world economy started to spin down, the company I worked for folded and my family and I were left uninsured. Under the new administration, I took a new job in the tech sector, and my 23 y/o UW graduate son was able to continue on my insurance.

    Is my family better off now than it was 4 years ago? Damn right it is. Health care reform has benefited my family directly and significantly.

  • Jack Spara June 28, 2012 (12:05 pm)

    I agree jedifarfy, everything should be free!…everyone gets a trophy…darn it, where do we get that little problem of money and find people willing to provide that care for free…look forward to your report on your costs before and after this is implemented, the unemployment rate before and after this is implemented, the nation debt before and after this is implemented…wonder if we’ll still blame Bush in the year 2018? Hey, but that’s your kid’s problem, not my problem. They definitely won’t be better off tomorrow unless they are happy not contributing to society and just taking…. Didn’t Kennedy say, ask not what you can do for yourself, but what you can do for your country…like work and take care of yourself. Else, swing by house when the levy breaks cause I”m too lazy to learn to swim, don’t want to work to have a boat, and have the right to expect that even though I live in a flood zone, you have to pick me up…FOR FREE YEAH!!!

  • Jack Spara June 28, 2012 (12:37 pm)

    Jan – I’m very sorry for your situation and pray for you.

    To the issue, you haven’t had to wait ’cause ObamaDisasterCare isn’t in play yet. Feel terrible for those in your situation and age in 2018.

    Look forward to your report on # of folks who were able to Keep Their Plan…really…got some land in Florida to sell you.

    Middlefork – enjoy paying for your Graduate cause he won’t get a job and be able to pay for himself…hate to see him go to jail for TAX evasion. Make sure you give him great couceling on why you ran up the debt and he’s kids will be paying for ever.

  • jane June 28, 2012 (12:41 pm)

    This is just a first step toward free health care for everyone like in England and Canada. I would rather pay a little higher taxes and not have to pay all these doctors and pharms thru the nose every time you walk in the door. I have three insurances and still paid over $5000!!! We need free healthcare but will get there in baby steps. When you are young it doesn’t matter but after you turn 60 every penny counts because our needs go up. Also, no limits on catastrophic healthcare is YES!!! Don’t be stupid about this!!

  • me June 28, 2012 (12:54 pm)

    @JanS – I have 57 employees. 7 of them WILL be losing thier jobs…so YOU try again….Baaaa!

  • Uncommon Sense June 28, 2012 (12:55 pm)

    Please. The chicken-littling just makes you look foolish. Try not to be so brainwashed by right wing radio, it will make your life better.

  • WSB June 28, 2012 (1:20 pm)

    Dear folks: Obviously a hot topic. But please remember to be civil, even as you disagree. Comments with name-calling, for example, will not be approved for publication. Example: You can say that Commenter A’s opinion is idiotic, but it’s against the rules to call Commenter A an idiot. Fine line, but helps keep WSB comments from becoming the sewer that some other news sites allow to flow through their discussion areas. Thanks. – TR

  • $$ June 28, 2012 (1:22 pm)

    jane

    there is no such thing as “FREE” health care…SOMEONE HAS to pay for it…

  • orca June 28, 2012 (1:38 pm)

    Medicare will be changed by Obamacare…that is a fact.
    Have you noticed that your Medicare supplemental insurance increase by a huge amount last year after the law was enacted? That is the insurance companies getting ahead of the cap on rates. Expect a lot more. Don’t let partisan politics decide how this will work out for the Country. Liberals should not be cheerleaders because of Obama and Conservatives should not oppose just because of opposition to Obama.
    Use some kind of actual thought about this.

  • rw June 28, 2012 (2:15 pm)

    I was curious how Rob McKenna would respond to the Supreme Court decision, given his support for the Republican challenge to the legality of health care reform (which he no doubt did to cement his conservative credentials). I found the answer:

    http://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2012/06/28/mckenna-opposes-repeal-of-federal-health-care-law/

    Apparently McKenna can dance on the head of a pin as well as any politician. Very slick.

  • Canada? No thanks. June 28, 2012 (2:22 pm)

    I don’t think using England and Canada as examples is helpful. Denmark, now we’re talking.

    The Danish people pay lot of taxes, and are a very happy and RESPONSIBLE group. Large government works quite well there. Based on our lack of responsibility, our entitlement, poor health, and population in the country, the free health care model will not work here. I know this health care reform bill is not free universal care, let’s hope it never gets that far in the US.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident June 28, 2012 (3:05 pm)

    Well there goes my Health Care. I was informed that if this was upheld my premiums would increase between $350-$450 a month.

    Here’s a GREAT question that I would like answered…If this is such a GREAT deal and has support from the Congress and President, why did they exempt themselves from it?

    Maybe someone could ask Jim McDermott?

    Does anyone know if the state Legislature members are also exempt, like members of congress

  • Ex-Westwood Resident June 28, 2012 (3:18 pm)

    Oh and if it’s SOOOOO good why have there been hundreds exemptions given out to unions and companies. MANY of them who gave generously to the Obama campaign in 2008, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). SIEU contributed over $25 million to the Obama campaign back in 2008.

  • JanS June 28, 2012 (4:13 pm)

    ex-westwood resident. Who told you that your insurance rates would go up by 350-450/mo?

  • cr June 28, 2012 (4:14 pm)

    A huge victory for the 51% of Americans who don’t pay a dime in taxes! Another way for you to have no responsibility. Let big brother (aka all of us who actually pay taxes) foot this bill for you too. Sweet.

  • JanS June 28, 2012 (4:15 pm)

    “me”..do you provide health insurance for your employees now? And will you be telling those that you fire, that it’s specifically because you don’t want to pay for their health insurance?

  • G June 28, 2012 (4:19 pm)

    What I fear is that we will see not only many more psychotropics prescribed, but commonly prescribed drugs such as statins (dangerous side effects which are beginning to be documented)that are now being needlessly prescibed to a broader population.

    Many drugs are lifesavers. But prescribing a drug is cheap and it gets patients in and out the door quickly.

    Over-medicated society? We probably haven’t seen anything yet.

  • cr June 28, 2012 (4:39 pm)

    JanS, as a private business owner, I don’t think he has to disclose any of that. Well, until Obama tells him he does.

  • Dano June 28, 2012 (4:46 pm)

    Wow…. “Me” seems very bitter, and it’s hard not to think that whomever this is, he or she just wants to say something threatening since the decision didn’t go the way they wanted…… You say you are going to lay people off now, because of today’s decision?….. Seriously?! If that is the case, perhaps your employees should consider themselves fortunate to be moving on (for reasons having nothing to do with today’s decision)…. I wish THEM success.

  • Cascadianone June 28, 2012 (5:57 pm)

    My feelings are very mixed leaning towards negative about this health care law. Though I support universal coverage in theory; I do not believe for an instant that we can grant everyone the kind of health care they DESERVE without major structural changes to where our government spends our money. So I fear instead of being “just”, we just gave a huge win to insurance companies. To suddenly include millions of new people in the system, many of whom can’t afford to pay the market rate due to poverty or pre-existing conditions, MUST NECESSARILY either increase the costs of service for the rest of us or decrease the standard of care. I believe we will end up like Europe with much lower cancer survival rates and many thousands of people sent to hospice each year. We will be unable to address these injustices because the new InsuroCrats will get our money either way. Long story short: there ain’t no free lunch unless you are very poor or very rich- the Middle Class, as usual, will shoulder this burden and suffer accordingly. We will just have to hope that we can force our scant research dollars into finding CURES instead of just more TREATMENTS before they give each of us the ole Hospice Pink Slip. Or that we will be able to afford to pay cash for treatment somewhere like our rich “friends” can. My insurance rates already went up last year and I expect them to rise much more before this is over. Just hope our shattered economy can survive it all.

  • IloveWestSeattle June 28, 2012 (6:20 pm)

    Right-wing lies continue–amazing the hate and fear these people believe in and perpetuate.

  • Tuesday June 28, 2012 (8:37 pm)

    Remember when Obama was adamant that it was NOT a tax? I guess you just say what you have to to get what you want.

  • Enid June 29, 2012 (6:40 am)

    I’m still confused about the ramifications of this law. The .gov website wasn’t any help. I’m disabled, low income (around $20,000 yr.)and have no insurance because I can’t afford Medicare. The treatment I receive (and that works) is not covered by any insurance plan. I pay out of pocket for it, usually about $100 per month. If I’m forced to buy insurance that won’t be used, I’ll have to forfeit “real” care in order to pay insurance premiums. I don’t get it.

  • Wetone June 29, 2012 (9:33 am)

    Health care needs to be addressed, but this Obama plan is a bad deal. Anybody that thinks the big company’s won’t take this opportunity to drastically change their health plans, better wake up. This will cost the responsible people of the US more money for this plan. You can buy your own insurance plan for same or most likely less and not have your government involved. People of Washington State will be paying more in their new plans as we have a good size of non-legal, and homeless people that we will still be paying for.

  • M June 29, 2012 (11:46 am)

    Socialized Medicine is great as long as you stay heathy

  • MAXWELL June 30, 2012 (8:48 am)

    Oh my goodness – the amount of misinformation about what the new health care law will and will not do is alarming. I’ve been in the health insurance industry for 30+ years and have seen the escalating cost of healthcare. Where it was affordable to go without insurance when I was young, it is financially ruinous to families now. Individually we cannot afford to hire our own military, police or firemen to be on call so we gladly pay taxes for this common need. The world of health care has changed so much that we now need to recognize this common need and fund for it. This is not socialized medicine. It is the United States joining other leading nations in recognizing a common need of its citizens and addressing it. It’s not a perfect solution but if we work together, we can make the adjustments needed. Keeping our citizens healthy is as important as keeping them safe from crime, fire and terrorism.
    Facts Check web site has good information about this debate: http://factcheck.org/2010/11/the-truth-about-health-insurance-premiums/

  • NormInWS July 2, 2012 (6:29 pm)

    Nicely stated MAXWELL and I might add keeping our citizens “Educated” to your list of “important” things. Someone needs to quit sucking lemons, but it’s not “me”…

  • macattack July 3, 2012 (12:21 pm)

    This blog demonstrates what disinformation can do to people trying to figure it out. Health care cannot be administered well by a private for-profit system. It is patently a conflict of interest for the insurer to try to maximize profits while at the same time providing good health care. In the USA, over 30% of premiums paid go to overhead and profit in the private system while government run systems world wide have no more than 10% administrative costs. Moreover, there is no long wait for treatment in government run systems e.g., in Canada you have no wait once the doctor prescribes treatment (single payer system) but if the dr. does not you are able to pay for it yourself. The claims of waiting for treatment in any government run health care system have no basis in fact-simply not true, but this misinformation is repeated by anti-health care folks as if it is true. In short, what Taiwan discovered when putting together the most capitalistic economy in the world, the best health care plan is operated by government just as military and police, roads, etc. are best operated by government so is health care. Taiwan studied the health care systems around the world and chose parts of the best ones. Taiwan now has universal health care administered by its government.
    Has anyone actual knowledge of being denied necessary care in a timely manner in any of the government operated systems which they critisize? Anyone? The physicians I know in Canada say the system works quite well and all their patients get all the health care they need when they need it. No complaints in Sweden, in England (notorious step child of health care), no complaints anywhere I have been – the only complaints come from people here who have NO experience or facts, just fears it will cost more, provide less care or be unavailable. These are simply fears not facts and unfounded fears are the result of a lack of information.

    For those who are disgruntled by the law I suggest first, look at what our alternatives are, look at the disaster our current arrangement is, and then tell me why you think this law is not a vast improvement from what we have now and why you want to stay in one of the worst health care systems of the entire world. (mortality rate = 27th in the world!)Get the facts, compare our new law with any in the world and we now are one of the least efficient health care delivery systems in the world. In short, USA cannot afford to continue the private insurer system of health care-it is too expensive to pay a profit on top of the rising costs of care.

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