Policy and Legislation
Bill reduces funding for critical access hospitals treating uninsured patients from $5 million to $1 million.
Opening arguments give glimpse of where Justices stand as hospitals, states and organizations call for the law to stay.
Healthcare leaders and millions of customers insured by federal exchanges will be watching Washington closely on Wednesday as oral arguments take place on King Vs. Burwell.
If the court rules against the Obama administration, those subsidies could be cut off for everyone in the three dozen states using healthcare.gov.
Department of Health and Human Services shifted millions of dollars last year from those agencies to help pay the $1.4 billion cost of running the insurance marketplaces in 37 states, according to an HHS spending document.
Result of King vs. Burwell will not end the health law, says Anil Joseph, managing director for the Investment Research Group at GE Capital, Healthcare Financial Services.
One analysis projects that unsubsidized premiums could increase by almost half -- an average annual increase of $1,600 for a 40-year-old.
Burwell pointed to "the massive damage to our healthcare system that would be caused by an adverse decision."
Proposal brings falling payments for insurers, potentially disruptive options for health systems.
Department of Health and Human Services says plans lacking substantial coverage of hospital and physician services don't qualify as "minimum value" coverage.