Justice Department declares ACA Unconstitutional – but it’s still the Law!

As reported by CNN on March 26th, 2019, , The Justice Department, reversing its previous position, is supporting a federal judge’s ruling that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional in a case that could eventually be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, all ACA coverage and reporting obligations for employers remain in place. “The Department of Justice has determined that the district court’s comprehensive opinion came to the correct conclusion and will support it on appeal,” said Kerri Kupec, spokesperson for the Justice Department. The stance comes out of the Dec. 14th ruling by district court judge Reed O’Connor, in Texas v. United States. Mr. O’Connor ruled that because Congress eliminated the penalty on individuals without ACA-compliant health coverage effective Jan. 1, 2019, the ACA’s individual mandate requiring people to have health insurance “can no longer be sustained as an exercise of Congress’s tax power.” For now, employers must remember that the ACA is still the law and the Justice Department’s stance does not change their present compliance obligations. Employers still have to follow ACA regulations and properly report offers of coverage (for applicable large employers). InTANDEM in conjunction with our insurers handles this obligation. We will continue to update you with any changes regarding the ACA.