Julian Pagtama, a senior computer science major at Cal State Long Beach, doesn’t have health insurance, and he says that’s going to have to change soon.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a major piece of legislation and controversy in Obama’s first term, was ruled as constitutional by the Supreme Court Thursday – the majority opinion stating that the individual mandate was authorized by Congress’ power to levy taxes.
The legislation was considered a win for Obama with Justice John G. Roberts Jr. being the unexpected swing vote in the 5-4 decision.
Beginning in 2014, the act requires all Americans to either buy health care insurance or pay an additional 1 percent to the IRS in taxes.
“I think it’s kind of unfair for some of the low income families,” Pagtama said. “Not everyone can afford it. It’s good in some ways, that everyone gets health insurance.”
While the Supreme Court upheld what is being called the “heart of the act,” it did not uphold the provision that would have taken federal funding away from states if they didn’t participate in the expansion of Medicaid, a program that provides health care to the poor.
Shortly after the ruling, Obama nationally addressed the nation, saying that the act will improve American lives.
“They’ve reaffirmed a fundamental principle that here in America, in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no illness or accident should lead to any family’s financial ruin,” the president said on Thursday.
Meanwhile Gov. Mitt Romney, Republican candidate for the presidency, said he would repeal the act the first day he would be in office.
“What the court did not do on its last day in session, I will do on my first day if elected president of the United States. And that is I will act to repeal Obamacare,” Romney said on Thursday.
Mireille Sine, a senior kinesiology major, said she was happy the act was upheld but said the legislation does not do enough to fix the health care system in the U.S.
“I still feel like it should be free, more like universal health care, like what they have overseas,” Sine said. “It’s one step forward, yes, but it’s still limiting a whole lot of people who can’t afford it.”
Under the PPACA, young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 26, whether or not they are enrolled in school.
Joshua Owens, a senior civil engineering major, is currently on his parents’ health insurance.
“At that age, kids are still trying to get on their feet and become financially independent,” Owens said.
However, Owens said he doesn’t think it’s fair to penalize for not buying health insurance.
“I don’t believe they should force people to purchase health care by giving them the alternative to pay more money else where,” Owens said. “I guess it makes sense if they don’t have health care and the government is going to pay for them if they do get in an accident.”
Michael Carbuto, director of student health services at CSULB, said that the tax ultimately isn’t unfair.
“I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of one another,” Carbuto said. “In the end, even without the act, we are paying for it [health care of the uninsured] through higher premiums and trips to the emergency room.”