Supreme Court to determine the future of the Affordable Care Act

SALINAS, Calif. (KION)

On Tuesday, a U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obama Care, to decide if it will dismantle or uphold.

California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke at a press conference, Monday, saying a decision to strike down the ACA would not only lead to billions of dollars lost in federal funding, but it would also lead to millions of people losing their health coverage.

An estimated 100 to 150 million Americans with preexisting conditions will lose protections without the ACA.

Governor Newsom expressed concern over the possibility of COVID-19 being considered a preexisting condition.

“It is very likely as we watch through COVID-19, the preexisting condition of COVID-19 transmissions, also can increase," says Governor Newsom.

Researchers and health experts still don't know what the long term effects COVID-19 patients could have.

A local community and health advocate says a majority of people like farmworkers and families in places like Salinas and South County would be among those most impacted.

“In Monterey County, as we know, there’s a high population, particularly the farmer population that has gotten COVID, or be a young person that is under the age of 26 that will no longer be able to be on their parents’ insurance plan or just not be able to afford insurance anymore," says Jesus Valenzuela, Lead Organizer for Building Healthy Communities.

Valenzuela says people should look into alternative health care plans to avoid paying costs out of pocket and adds that labor unions sometimes negotiate health care benefits with workers.

“We know that with the new administration coming in, it will breathe in another opportunity for there to be another version of the Affordable Care Act, while we know that tomorrow is going to be grim, it’s not time to lose hope," says Valenzuela.

A decision from the Supreme Court could be made by the summer.