Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform, South Carolina Reacts

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — ” Regardless of the decision that came down, what was bad policy yesterday, is bad policy today,” says Governor Nikki Haley, (R) South Carolina. But, USC Law Professor, Derek Black, says the courts ruling is constitutional. “The court said, look they can’t force you to buy health care, but they can tax you if you don’t.,” says Black. The decision brough reaction from both sides. “Illnesses like cancer, like cardiovascular disease, they don’t have to break families anymore,” says Rep. Bakari Sellers, (D) Bamberg. “It’s gonna be a tax increase on individuals and it’s going to vary widely up to the maximum tax penalty,” says Tony Keck, Director of South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “All parts of South Carolina and all 32 million Americans who are uninsured now have hope,” says Rep. Sellers. According to USC Law Professor, Jacqueline Fox, the Supreme Court has now passed the burden down the line. “What the Supreme Court has done is basically said, every state is going to have to figure this one out,” says Fox. And Governor Haley isn’t happy. “We are looking at one of the largest tax increases on the American people we have ever seen,” says Haley. Fox says Haley is facing a tough call. “She’s gonna be looking at a situation where she can say, hey people in South Carolina right, I’m gonna take this money, because I want you to have health insurance,” says Fox. And if she doesn’t take it. “That could mean for these familes, right who are not gonna get free insurance, they’re going to have to pay the penalty,” says Fox. A Tax penalty that will come at the end of the year, something that was not intended. “No one writing the law wanted to hit the poor with a working tax,” says Fox. Haley says there’s another way. “Tony and I have to sit down again and say okay, where do we go from here? How do we plan for South Carolina and deal with a complex situation, where for me there is only one solution and that is new leadership in Washington,” says Haley.