Implications of Affordable Care Act Ruling for Work Comp Debated

Following years of debate over the impact of the Affordable Care Act on workers’ compensation, the work comp industry is now considering the flip side of the question after a federal judge in Texas on Friday shot down the law. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional because Congress eliminated the penalty for failure to comply when it changed federal tax law. Without the individual mandate, the remainder of the ACA can no longer stand, he said. It remains to be seen whether the ruling will be upheld on appeal. The case is expected ...