ACOG Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Upholding the Affordable Care Act

Washington, D.C.—J. Martin Tucker, MD, FACOG, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act:

“ACOG applauds today’s Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act. As women’s health physicians, we understand the importance of our patients having reliable insurance coverage that allows them to get the care they need.  

“Historically, for too many Americans, cost has been a barrier to accessing needed medical care. Without insurance coverage, millions of individuals and families have had to forego the care that they need to prevent or control illness. This has been especially true for low- and moderate-income Americans, leading to and exacerbating health inequities.

“The ACA was enacted to improve access to reliable, affordable insurance coverage. It has put in place women’s health protections that are now engrained in our health care system: for example, millions of women have gained access to preventive services with no cost-sharing, and more than 8 million women now have coverage for maternity and newborn care. Since the enactment of the ACA, the uninsured rate among women of reproductive age has fallen more than 40%.

“As physicians dedicated to improving women’s health, we are pleased that today’s Supreme Court decision will protect access to care in the future and will allow us to continue our shared mission of improving the health of Americans.”