HomeCare Editors’ Top 5: King v. Burwell

The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in King v. Burwell on Wednesday, March 4, with a decision expected in June. Given all of the press surrounding the case, we pulled together a few things you may want to read ahead of time.

Supreme Court Ruling Carries Implications for Regulatory Board

State professional regulatory boards may seek out more state supervision or even change their membership makeup because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision Wednesday against a North Carolina dental board accused of illegally suppressing competition. “The decision … is quite significant,” said Jeffrey Brennan, a partner in the antitrust practice at McDermott Will & Emery in Washington and a former head of the Federal Trade Commission’s healthcare division. “It impacts a lot of state boards across the country.” (Lisa Schencker/Modern Healthcare)

Both Parties Face Risks as Health Care Law Court Case Nears

Twenty-two out of 24. And 206 to 96. Those numbers tell much about the political impact of a Supreme Court case in which conservatives and Republicans hope to demolish a pillar of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. The justices hear arguments next week. (Alan Fram/Associated Press)

US Health Official Says No Fix if Obamacare Subsidies Thrown Out

The Obama administration has no way to repair the damage that would result from a Supreme Court decision against Obamacare that would make health care unaffordable for millions of Americans, a top health adviser said on Tuesday. The Supreme Court is expected to rule by the end of June on whether residents in at least 34 U.S. states are eligible for federal tax subsidies to help them buy health coverage under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Oral arguments are scheduled for March 4. (Yasmeen Abutaleb/Reuters)

Meaning of 4 Words at Center of High Court Health Law Fight

The Supreme Court next week hears a challenge to President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul that hinges on just four words in the massive law that seeks to dramatically reduce the ranks of the uninsured. The argument threatens subsidies that help make insurance affordable to consumers in about three dozen states. The lawsuit focuses on the health insurance marketplaces, or exchanges, that have been set up to allow people to find coverage if they don’t get insurance through their jobs or the government. The challengers argue that the health law provides subsidies only to people who get their insurance through an exchange “established by the state.” But most states have not established their own marketplaces and instead rely on the federal healthcare.gov. (Mark Sherman/Associated Press)

Flood of Briefs on the Health Care Law’s Subsidies Hit the Supreme Court

Liberal groups are emphasizing states’ rights, a theme calculated to appeal to conservative Supreme Court justices. The insurance industry, once a foe, has come to the aid of President Obama. Conservatives are mining legislative history to discern the intent of Democrats who wrote the Affordable Care Act. And those Democrats are firing back, saying they know exactly what their intent was: to provide affordable health insurance to all Americans. (Robert Pear/New York Times)