One of the attorneys who was part of the appeals on the Affordable Care Act says West Virginia can play a part in repealing it.
Patrick Morrisey, a nationally known health care lawyer and the Republican candidate for state Attorney General, laid out his case before a small group of supporters on the steps of the State Capitol Friday.
"No one is arguing that we shouldn’t have health care reform or that we shouldn’t make health care more affordable, we absolutely should, but this is not the way to do it," he said.
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision on the ACA on Thursday with a 5-4 vote in favor of upholding part of the law.
Morrisey, though, says the Court’s decision also shifts power back to the individual states when it comes to expanding Medicaid. He’s urging state leaders to carefully think over accepting the new terms of Medicaid under the ACA.
"The point is, we shouldn’t have a rush to judgment the way Congress rushed to judgment and shove Obamacare down West Virginia’s throats," Morrisey said.
He says the state should sit back and watch what happens over the next six months instead of rushing to hop on the ACA bandwagon.
"We are now still looking at an opportunity to repeal Obamacare in 2013 by electing a new President and a Congress who’s dedicated to reforming health care the right way," Morrisey said.
GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney has vowed one of his first acts as President, if elected, would be to repeal the health reform law.
Morrisey says he was "disappointed" with the Supreme Court’s decision, but not disheartened. He believes, if Americans don’t want Obamacare, they have the power to prevent it.