Oregon reactions to Supreme Court Affordable Care Act Ruling

In a statement, Oregon Governor. John Kitzhaber said: "I am pleased that the Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act, which will help all Oregonians, including the 600,000 Oregonians who are uninsured, have better access to health coverage. It's a vindication of the Obama Administration's bold approach. Oregon’s health transformation initiative is well underway.
"We’re moving forward with Coordinated Care Organizations that will transform Medicaid for better health and lower cost. And the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange will be a central marketplace where individuals and small businesses can shop for health plans and receive help paying for coverage."

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley's reaction:“We must now focus on how to best deliver affordable, high-quality health care for every American......"As a result of today’s decision, we have the chance to deliver these important advances for America’s families and business and to implement a vision of affordable, accessible health care for all Americans. No one should go bankrupt if they get sick.
"Everyone should have access to preventive care in order to live healthy, productive lives.  I look forward to working with Gov. Kitzhaber and other Oregon policymakers to put in place these important reforms for all Oregonians."

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici's office released her statement, saying:   “Today the Supreme Court rightly upheld the Affordable Care Act. Since 2010, the ACA has provided Americans with better health care coverage and lower costs.
"Thanks to the law, 17 million children across the country with preexisting conditions are no longer denied coverage, and 6.6 million young adults have been able to stay on their parents' insurance plans until they turn 26 years old. In Oregon, more than one million people have received low-cost preventive care." 

From Jan Meekcoms, Oregon state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, which was the named plaintiff in the landmark decision in NFIB v. Sebelius.  "While very disappointed, we respect today's SCOTUS decision to uphold the individual mandate.  This decision creates tax increases and mandates that stand in the way of job creation and make high health-care costs an impediment to growing Oregon's economy.  We feel the PPACA is the wrong path and the wrong direction for true health care reform.  We will continue to fight for our members in the regulatory and legislative arenas."