In the wake of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death, the implications for many aspects of health care reform are stuck in limbo.
The Supreme Court was ready to rule on a number of health care issues in the coming months.
Without Scalia's vote and influence at play, anything could happen.
One such case is the argument over religious exemption for contraceptive coverage for employers. A 4-4 tie at the Supreme Court level would leave regional courts to make the call for businesses in their jurisdictions.
Scalia's death also potentially stalls resolutions to important cases related to abortion rights, self-funded insurers, and fraudulent lawsuits aimed at health care providers.
If the remaining 8 SCOTUS judges supply a tie vote in any of these matters, and/or if a new Justice fails to be approved soon, these important health care reform issues will remain unresolved at the federal level, guaranteeing many more years of political battles, public argument, and employer health care uncertainty.
Read full article at Modern Healthcare.