If the ACA is struck down by the Supreme Court, the protection it provided for people with pre-existing conditions will no longer exist. Insurers will go back to being able to charge Americans with pre-existing conditions higher premiums — or simply not insure them in the first place. This has especially heavy implications because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the economy in a recession, very few consumers are in a position to pay more for their already expensive health insurance, especially those who have lost employer-sponsored coverage and must now seek out care on the exchanges. Worse yet, COVID-19 itself could be categorized as a pre-existing condition, meaning that anyone with a documented COVID-19 diagnosis (not just COVID-19 Long-Haulers) could be at risk for rising premiums or losing their insurance altogether. The whole reason the ACA includes this protective clause is because prior to Obamacare, insurers routinely blocked access to care for those with pre-existing conditions.
What if a COVID-19 diagnosis could be used against health plan members?
On November 3, 2020, The Hill reported that the Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of the ACA. Learn why the outcome of this case will be big news in the insurance world.
