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Dave Jones, California State insurance commissioner, on the Supreme Court hearings on the Affordable Care Act, and how the potential outcomes will imp...
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Okay we're two years into the president's health care -- and two days after the Supreme Court hearings ended well there's a good chance those justices.
We'll decide the fate of the lot by the end of today that we won't know -- thing about the ruling until the summer.
How are the insurers and -- dealing with this ongoing uncertainty Dave Jones is California's insurance company mr.
Jones welcome to you.
Thank you are so how do you plan to navigate to another at least three months of not being quite sure what to expect for health care.
Here in California were moving ahead we're continuing to move forward with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and we've been told by the insurers that they're moving forward as well.
You know California.
Is ahead of the game according to live reports -- you've already set -- -- health care exchange is right but what if the law falls apart you know there's a lot of talk that this individual mandate won't -- perhaps a whole lot -- go back to congress.
For your state then what.
We were the first state in the nation to enact a law authorizing health insurance exchange and yes we're moving forward with implementation the exchange itself won't be up and operating until 2014 but we're taking the necessary steps to make sure that it.
It does function and function well.
In the event that the law struck down which I don't believe -- happen.
I think California will move forward we had a very robust debate about this very thing in 2005.
-- was a broad consensus that it made sense to.
Pursue this much in the way of the Affordable Care Act and I think we'll keep going.
Why do you think a lot will hold up in -- in this comport.
We have a situation right now where we have literally tens of millions of Americans who are uninsured.
They get health care that they get health -- -- a very costly moment when they're really sick when they present themselves to emergency rooms and then those costs get shifted to the rest of us.
So it's -- essential that.
We have a system that make sure that everybody is getting insurance -- that those costs are -- spread across the whole population.
-- we understand that's got a challenge but the question obviously is.
Is individual mandate part of affordable care constitutional and Justice Kennedy lot of people think that he is just from listening to that that'd arguments and -- last couple days will.
Agree that it's not.
I disagree I think that Justice Kennedy has.
Very keen appreciation for the dynamics in the health care market the fact that are ready uninsured individuals are in their -- in that market.
They're just not being held responsible for their costs to shift in the cost affect.
One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act declared bankruptcy in an effort to try to evade those cost those costs get -- us.
Congress -- acted constitutionally to make sure that every one bears responsibility.
For the health care system.
And -- you've been on the job one year as California's insurance commission without the fantastic.
Quota Poland insurance industry exacts disgrace you AD that's not -- fantastic by the critics say that it's because we're more -- consumers.
Rather than the insurance business so is that a badge of honor for you or a little a little concerning.
You know I've been very clear that consumer protection and business protection is my number one priority is insurance commissioner.
And that means that there are many cases where I'm gonna disagree with the insurance industry in order to protect California's businesses California's consumer so.
I'm not troubled by the fact that the insurers themselves don't like the fact that I'm protecting consumers and protecting California businesses but that's what I was elected to do.
All right well Dave Jones thanks for your time in your insights.
Thank you.
