On June 17, 2021, the United States Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in California, et al. v. Texas, et al., a case that had the potential to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a 7-2 decision, the Court found the plaintiffs did not have standing, or the right, to sue. The Court did not address the merits of the case, which challenged the constitutionality of the ACA’s individual mandate (and the constitutionality of the ACA as a whole) after the penalty for non-compliance with the mandate was reduced to $0 in 2017. We reviewed the legal arguments involved in the case in our prior blog.
The decision by the Court means that things remain the status quo for the ACA (and all of its associated protections). This case also marks the third time the Court upheld the ACA after hearing a case challenging the validity of the law.