Jitters Over Health Care Reform Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion on the health care reform bill within two weeks, which has nervous hospitals, care providers and medical suppliers seeking legal advice. Health care attorneys say some Supreme Court scenarios are more likely than others. The most extreme possibility is the striking down of the entire bill, but what’s more likely is that certain parts will be struck and others will be upheld. That could be problematic, because many parts of the bill are linked to the most hotly contested component — the individual mandate to buy health insurance. And even if the whole bill is struck down, some of its main points, such as a focus on preventive and primary care, will likely continue to shape the industry.

"Mandating individuals to have health insurance has several ripple effects that make other parts of reform possible," said Public Policy & Regulation Partner Ron Klein. "If everyone has health insurance coverage, providers would no longer have to deal with unpaid care. Insurance companies would get a boost from the influx of presumably healthy people. That would provide a way for the companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions," he said.