[Healthcare] DOJ files brief to re-instate pre-x limitations

The Washington Post (6/8, Johnson) reported, “An obscure district court lawsuit” challenging one of the Affordable Care Act’s “most popular provisions” became important Thursday as the Justice Department “filed a brief arguing that as of Jan. 1, 2019, the protections for people with preexisting conditions should be invalidated.” The action has “rallied defenders of the law into action and raised questions among legal scholars about the likelihood it would succeed.” The article added that the Kaiser Family Foundation warned that if the court sides with the plaintiffs, it would essentially mean a return to the way things were before the ACA was enacted, and some 52 million consumers under the age of 65 could be at risk of losing healthcare coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

The Wall Street Journal (6/9, Evans, Subscription Publication) reported that the Justice Department’s legal position on key ACA provisions in this case means uncertainty for consumers and insurers. The article said the case could lead to fewer insurance company options, higher rates, lower premiums for some consumers, and expensive or hard-to-get coverage for other people.