EDITORIAL
If there is one thing certain about the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Act (otherwise known as Obamacare), it is that nothing is certain.
That seems to be the view, at least, from local residents and businesses we interviewed on the topic since the historic June 28 verdict of the high court.
The ruling allows the law, passed and signed by President Barack Obama in 2009, to go into full effect by 2014, including a provision that every citizen purchase health insurance or face a tax assessment of $600 or 2 percent of the individual’s income, whichever is greater.
Many local health care providers declined to comment on the decision one way or another.
Off the record, many were either angered or disappointed in the ruling.
When it came to small businesses in the community, the reaction was almost split evenly between those that support the law and those who feel it would be bad.
Almost all of those we spoke with are very concerned about how affordable the act will actually be in 2014.
Several of the businesses that employ fom two to 10 people said that increasing the burden of providing insurance to their employees would likely lead to layoffs to cover the costs.
A few of the small businesses said that the law would help them and their respective business grow.
Average folks interviewed are also concerned about how “affordable” the Affordable Care Act would be in their unique situations.
As expected, politicians from both parties jumped on the opportunity to either condemn or endorse the court.
While Republican Gov. Chris Christie criticized the decision, saying it is a tax on middle class Americans, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, D-12, likened the legislation to other major government programs like Social Security and Medicaid that have been adjusted over time.
With the machines in both parties going into full spin mode, the facts of what the law would actually do, or not do, remains clouded in a whirlpool of speculation and misinformation.
The high court has spoken and the law is the law, like it or not.
Now is the time for everyone on both sides of the political aisle to educate us on what the law really says and how we all should prepare for its implementation in 2014.
The only certainty now is that the tax man will come on April 15, 2014 and the people will start paying whatever this law costs.
We should all know the truth about the act well before then.

