The Affordable Care Act On Trial: The Supreme Court Takes a Turn to the Left - Or Does It?

A packed room was treated to two insiders' views of the recent US Supreme Court case upholding (for the most part) the Affordable Care Act (National Federation of Independent Business, et al v Sebelius, et al.).  Michael Caper, Deputy Solicitor General for the Oregon Department of Justice (and author of Oregon's amicus brief) explained the opinion and Oregon's part in the case and reviewed the potential effect of the various holdings.  Representative Suzanne Bonamici, newly elected from Oregon's First District, gave the political analysis along with a review of the Act itself and what lies ahead for health care reform.  Both covered the dynamics of the Medicaid Expansion which was struck down by the court - Michael from the legal point of view and Suzanne from the political and policy point of view.  A lively question and answer period followed the presentations and all attendees left with a new appreciation of the complexity of the issues, the nuances of the opinion, dissents and concurrences and the daunting task facing Congress in dealing with the realities of health care in the United States.  Many thanks are due to the speakers and to Stoel Rives for providing the meeting space.