OCA Delighted at Supreme Court's Decision to
Uphold Affordable Care Act
Uphold Affordable Care Act
June 28, 2012, WASHINGTON, D.C. – OCA, a national organization dedicated to advancing the political, social, and
economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), is delighted at the United States Supreme Court decision to
uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, granting millions of APAs access to affordable care.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling today is a significant step forward in providing affordable health care to millions of
uninsured APAs,” says Executive Director, Tom Hayashi. “We must continue to protect those who remain vulnerable
by pushing for bold policies that not only address access to services, but to ensure that those services are culturally
and linguistically appropriate. Health and wellness is a basic human right and we must do everything in our power to
express our values as Americans through policies that upholds our commitment to social justice.”
OCA would also like to share the statement released by our expert organizational colleague at the Asian & Pacific
Islander American Health Forum, President and CEO, Kathy Lim Ko:
"The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) celebrated today’s historic decision by the United
States Supreme Court upholding in its entirety the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—at its core a civil rights law that brings
us closer to health equality for all.
“Today is a significant victory for our entire nation and especially for communities of color,” said Kathy Lim Ko,
APIAHF President and CEO. “The Court’s decision validates a landmark civil rights law that brings the work of equity
and justice to the health arena.”
“For far too long, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, along with millions of other
Americans, have gone without insurance and access to quality care,” said Ed Tepporn, APIAHF vice president for
engagement and capacity building. “Today, our nation’s highest court has upheld the promise of the ACA. The ACA
provides the crucial investments and reforms necessary to eliminate health and health care disparities, especially in
minority and underserved communities.”
The law’s benefits are undisputable. Through early implementation, 97,000 Asian American and Pacific Islander
young adults have been able to remain on their parent’s insurance plans and nearly 3 million Asian Americans have
received preventive health care at no cost. By 2016, an estimated 2 million Asian Americans will have gained or
become eligible for coverage.
Other meaningful protections are also underway. For example, insurance companies can no longer engage in unfair
practices that harm consumers, including discriminating against children with pre-existing conditions like chronic
diseases, and starting in 2014, this protection will extend to adults. This provision is particularly important for Asian
Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who suffer from diabetes, cancer and Hepatitis B at
disproportionately higher rates than their white peers.
In addition, the Medicaid expansion under the law, set for 2014, will provide essential health care to one in ten low-
income Asian Americans and one in eight Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who would otherwise struggle to
afford care. In California alone this will provide an additional 140,000 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders with
coverage.
Since 2010, APIAHF has worked with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and policy
makers to implement the law. APIAHF defended the ACA in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that was joined by
nearly 40 Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health and advocacy organizations from around the
nation and the territories and highlighted the real impact the law has already had—and will continue to have—on
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Today’s Supreme Court decision to uphold the
law represents a major achievement for communities of color and other underserved populations. APIAHF will
continue to work with national and local advocates to implement the law in full.
economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), is delighted at the United States Supreme Court decision to
uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, granting millions of APAs access to affordable care.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling today is a significant step forward in providing affordable health care to millions of
uninsured APAs,” says Executive Director, Tom Hayashi. “We must continue to protect those who remain vulnerable
by pushing for bold policies that not only address access to services, but to ensure that those services are culturally
and linguistically appropriate. Health and wellness is a basic human right and we must do everything in our power to
express our values as Americans through policies that upholds our commitment to social justice.”
OCA would also like to share the statement released by our expert organizational colleague at the Asian & Pacific
Islander American Health Forum, President and CEO, Kathy Lim Ko:
"The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) celebrated today’s historic decision by the United
States Supreme Court upholding in its entirety the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—at its core a civil rights law that brings
us closer to health equality for all.
“Today is a significant victory for our entire nation and especially for communities of color,” said Kathy Lim Ko,
APIAHF President and CEO. “The Court’s decision validates a landmark civil rights law that brings the work of equity
and justice to the health arena.”
“For far too long, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, along with millions of other
Americans, have gone without insurance and access to quality care,” said Ed Tepporn, APIAHF vice president for
engagement and capacity building. “Today, our nation’s highest court has upheld the promise of the ACA. The ACA
provides the crucial investments and reforms necessary to eliminate health and health care disparities, especially in
minority and underserved communities.”
The law’s benefits are undisputable. Through early implementation, 97,000 Asian American and Pacific Islander
young adults have been able to remain on their parent’s insurance plans and nearly 3 million Asian Americans have
received preventive health care at no cost. By 2016, an estimated 2 million Asian Americans will have gained or
become eligible for coverage.
Other meaningful protections are also underway. For example, insurance companies can no longer engage in unfair
practices that harm consumers, including discriminating against children with pre-existing conditions like chronic
diseases, and starting in 2014, this protection will extend to adults. This provision is particularly important for Asian
Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who suffer from diabetes, cancer and Hepatitis B at
disproportionately higher rates than their white peers.
In addition, the Medicaid expansion under the law, set for 2014, will provide essential health care to one in ten low-
income Asian Americans and one in eight Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who would otherwise struggle to
afford care. In California alone this will provide an additional 140,000 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders with
coverage.
Since 2010, APIAHF has worked with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and policy
makers to implement the law. APIAHF defended the ACA in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that was joined by
nearly 40 Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health and advocacy organizations from around the
nation and the territories and highlighted the real impact the law has already had—and will continue to have—on
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Today’s Supreme Court decision to uphold the
law represents a major achievement for communities of color and other underserved populations. APIAHF will
continue to work with national and local advocates to implement the law in full.
