theGrio

Back to the Top

Main menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • Home
  • Entertainment
    • Music
    • The Dish
  • Health
    • Ask Dr. Ty
    • Black Men’s Health
    • Black Women and Breast Cancer
    • Back to School Health
  • Living
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Living Forward
    • Books
  • Politics
    • Perry on Politics
  • Sports
  • News
    • Good News
  • Opinion
Perry on Politics

If ‘Obamacare’ ends, millions of blacks could remain without health insurance

by Perry Bacon Jr. | March 28, 2012 at 1:47 PM
Comments
Print

Related Posts

  • If 'Obamacare' ends, millions of blacks could remain without health insurance
  • Supreme Court health care hearings are critical for both Obama, millions of African-Americans
  • Supreme Court upholds nearly all of Obamacare
  • GOP Medicaid resistance may keep millions from getting insurance
  • Can the Supreme Court sabotage Obama's health reform?

A Supreme Court decision striking down President Obama’s entire health care law would keep seven million African-Americans from getting insurance.

In hearings on Wednesday, the courts’ conservatives seemed poised to issue a ruling in June that would invalidate the entire law. And that would have a major impact on African-Americans. An estimated seven million of the 30 million who would eventually get health insurance under the law are black.

WATCH MSNBC COVERAGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE DEBATE:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

While much attention has been focused on the law’s requirement that people purchase insurance, its expansions of Medicaid (the insurance program for low-income Americans), is perhaps just as important. Under the law, because of expansions of federal funding for Medicaid, an estimated 16 million low-income Americans, many of them black, would get coverage. (Under the new law, Medicaid would cover most families whose income is below $29,000 per year.)

Gutting the law would also affect another provision that disproportionately helps African-Americans. The Affordable Care Act, as “Obamacare” is formally known, requires insurance companies to cover and offer reasonable prices to people who don’t get insurance through their employers, even if they have chronic illnesses.

This provision is critical because about half of working-age blacks don’t get health insurance through jobs, according to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington think-tank.

Follow Perry Bacon Jr. on Twitter at @perrybaconjr

  • orly-taitz.jpg
    Next Story:

    Birther bill advances in Missouri House of Representatives

  • bobby-rush-hoodie.jpg
    Previous Story:

    Rep. Bobby Rush: Lawmaker chastised for wearing hoodie in House

Filed in: Politics, Top Stories, Video | Related Topics: Affordable Care Act, Election2012, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Obamacare, President Obama, Supreme Court
  • Learn about our User Panel

    Read More
  • New Stories on theGrio

    • Chief Keef threatens to slap Katy Perry via Twitter Chief Keef threatens to slap Katy Perry via Twitter
    • Warrant for rapper Tim Dog, despite death reports Warrant for rapper Tim Dog, despite death reports
    • Pa. woman convicted in fiance’s wedding day death Pa. woman convicted in fiance’s wedding day death
    • Mayoral candidate ‘endorsed by Jesus’ finishes last Mayoral candidate ‘endorsed by Jesus’ finishes last
    • First lady: ‘I have failed at things’
    • Is hip-hop finally over molly?
    • 4 boss moves to make during Memorial Day weekend
    • Stop and Frisk report: Whites stopped more likely have weapons than blacks
  • What Your Friends Are Reading

  • More from theGrio

More Stories on theGrio

Top News

Politics

  • Transportation Secretary nominee, Charlotte, N.C. Mayor Anthony Foxx testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 22, 2013, before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

    Anthony Foxx receives warm reception from senators

  • Obama cites new framework for terror war

  • Obama's 1979 prom photo, yearbook note to 'foxy' friend unearthed

  • Are the Obamas too critical of black Americans?

» Read More in Politics

Business

  • An elderly black couple. © poco_bw – Fotolia.com

    Black Americans retiring earlier, with less savings

  • BlackStartup.com seeks to uplift black businesses

  • Payday loans: A debt trap in disguise

  • Tiger Woods makes a comeback on the course, and in video game sales

» Read More in Business

Living

  • mcdonalds_lottery 1x9

    McDonald's can't shake criticism about nutrition

  • Beyoncé and Rent The Runway launch 'The Beyoncé Boutique'

  • Homeless teen graduates as valedictorian of high school class

  • Memorial Day staycation hotspots!

» Read More in Living

Inspiration

  • Television journalist Robin Roberts poses with her Peabody at the 72nd Annual Peabody Awards at the Waldorf-Astoria on Monday, May 20, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

    Robin Roberts to write memoir about illness

  • Charlotte remembers 1963 desegregation 'eat-in'

  • Tornado survivor saved by teacher

  • Obama speech makes Morehouse grads 'proud'

» Read More in Inspiration

Entertainment

  • Kanye West  (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

    The top 5 rap lyrics of the week

  • UK rapper live tweets London knife attack

  • Darius Rucker rides 'Wagon Wheel' to top of charts

  • Janet Jackson officially hits billionaire status

» Read More in Entertainment

News

  • ST LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 16: Quarterback Robert Griffin III #10 of the Washington Redskins watches from the sidelines during the game against the St. Louis Rams at Edward Jones Dome on September 16, 2012 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    Robert Griffin III still aiming for Redskins' opener

  • UCLA awarded $10M grant to study autism in African-Americans

  • Chinua Achebe honored in Nigeria funeral

  • Zimmerman wants Trayvon's pot use referenced

» Read More in News

Main menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • Politics
  • Living
  • Video
  • Inspire
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • News
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with TheGrio
  • About
©2013 NBCUniversal
Powered by WordPress.com VIP