HHS News Conference Updating Progress in Affordable Care Act

In a press conference held Monday in Washington, and an article provided to Modern Healthcare, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius enumerated the programs and changes being put into place 20 months after President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law.

Monday's HHS press conference coincided with the Supreme Court's announcement that it will be reviewing questions about the Affordable Health Act with a full review in the spring of 2012.

Sebelius announced that a health care challenge to the tune of $1 billion to new projects that will ensure high quality health care is available at lower costs.

Additionally, the HHS Secretary provided an article to ModernHealthcare.com. Among the improvements Sebelius detailed: One million more young adults age 19 to 25 have gained health insurance coverage since they are now able to remain on their parent's health plans; about 30,000 people who were unable to find health insurance due to pre-existing conditions are now covered via the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.

Sebelius noted that changes in Medicare and prescription coverage for 2.2 million Americans have decreased prescription costs by approximately $1.2 billion in 2011, averaging a savings of $545 per Medicare beneficiary. More than 330 community centers in under-served rural and urban areas have opened or expanded since health care professionals have joined the National Health Service Corps. Americans with health insurance no longer have to worry about that insurance being dropped because they've become sick or be concerned about reaching a lifetime limit on payment of benefits.

There's likely no legislation that has brought more polarization among the political parties than the Affordable Care Act. The American public seems to feel strongly either pro or con on the issue. The future of the Affordable Care Act will now be in the hands of the Supreme Court, with a ruling likely before the 2012 presidential election.

The questions to be considered by the highest court in the land are these as outlined by AP: Does Congress have the right to make Americans buy health insurance or be made to pay a penalty if they don't; if the mandate to buy health insurance is unconstitutional, is the whole law unconstitutional or are some parts lawful; since penalties won't be levied until 2015, is it too soon to bring suit against this legislation; and is Congress illegally coercing states to expand their Medicaid programs or suffer the consequences through decreased federal funding?

A lot will be riding on the Supreme Court's decisions, including the health care of millions of Americans - and perhaps a presidency.