John August, executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, sends us this update on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act today. The coalition is an alliance of 29 local unions representing 90,000 health care workers.
Important and good news: The pathway to provide health care for all of our people has survived. Since the Civil War, many attempts to extend health care for all have failed. As of today, June 28, 2012, the path has finally been cleared.
Of course, the law is not an extension of Medicare for all, nor does it guarantee health care for all tomorrow. It certainly does not guarantee health care for all that is equitable, affordable and of the highest quality. Those struggles are still before us.