AFT’s Weingarten on King v. Burwell

For immediate release: June 25, 2015

For more information,
contact: Anna Oman,
301-979-5899
aoman@aft.org

WASHINGTON—Statement from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the Supreme Court’s King v. Burwell decision. The AFT is the second-largest nurses union in the country and represents 120,000 healthcare workers.

“Today, just like in 2012, when it comes to healthcare, the Supreme Court gets it right. This is a victory for working families. Ask the nurse who sees patients every day who are getting healthy thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Ask the adjunct professor or the school support-staff worker who now have coverage thanks to the law. The Affordable Care Act is working.

“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 16 million Americans who previously had no coverage now have access to affordable, quality healthcare. Out-of-control healthcare inflation is beginning to be tamed. A new focus on quality and outcomes is helping all patients get better care. And preventive care and access to lifesaving treatment and medication have meant more years of healthy life for countless Americans.

“Today’s ruling has prevented a major step backward for our country—one that could easily have sent our entire healthcare system into a tailspin. Now, we can continue our shared efforts to improve the Affordable Care Act and fulfill its vision of affordable, quality healthcare for all Americans.”