The Affordable Care Act, ACA, is back in the spotlight after the US Department of Justice, USDOJ, said it will not defend parts of the law including pre-existing condition coverage.

The US-DOJ sided with 20 states, including Indiana, that claim the individual mandate is unconstitutional and so some cost regulations should fail as well — specifically those that keep costs equivalent for people with more expensive pre-existing conditions.  In a press call from Senator Joe Donnelly’s office, former CMS head Andy Slavit says the pre-existing rule is popular.  “The majority of Hoosiers of both parties believe that they should be able to buy insurance regardless of their history of illness.”

Numerous groups warn these changes will have a ripple effect.  Kate Shepard is with Protect Our Care Indiana.  “The result is increased premiums for everyone, even those people who are not buying their insurance through the actual marketplace.”

Protect Our Care Indiana released a new report that finds people in rural Indiana could be impacted most. A look at Indiana’s expected 2019 rates is due next week.