ANCHORAGE:  In what has been described as a naked power grab, Republican members of the Supreme Court are attempting to cancel health care subsidies in states like Alaska that have federal exchanges.  If these judicial activists are successful, they would make health care unaffordable for thousands of Alaskans who recently signed up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

“This partisan power grab by the Supreme Court would take away Alaskans’ health care, leading to untreated illnesses and premature deaths.  It is reprehensible for wealthy politicians like Antonin Scalia to try to take away health care from working Alaskans,” said Mike Wenstrup, Chair of the Alaska Democratic Party.

The Supreme Court abruptly decided to review King vs. Burwell, a case that would invalidate health care subsidies in states with federal exchanges.  The Supreme Court violated its own procedures in accepting the case, which already has been resolved by multiple circuit courts and in no way requires the Supreme Court to resolve a lower court disagreement.  If Republican members of the court are successful in their anti-health care jihad, they would upend decades of precedent related to administrative implementation of laws passed by Congress.

Republican members of the court are attempting to eliminate federal health care subsidies in states with federal exchanges, which would have the effect of cancelling health coverage for millions of Americans and thousands of Alaskans.  Judicial activists are seeking to sabotage affordable health plans because those plans are vital to the efficacy of the Affordable Care Act.  Republicans have been frustrated at the law’s success in reducing health costs while expanding coverage, and are attempting to undo those policy reforms in the courts after failing to dismantle the law in Congress.

More than 16,000 Alaskans have signed up for health coverage, most of whom signed up on the federal exchange and received health subsidies.  If Republican justices are successful, they will likely eliminate health care for most Alaskans who have signed up for it, leading to more untreated illnesses, higher emergency room bills, and more avoidable and premature deaths.

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