Buckhead Reacts to Health Care Ruling

On the heels of today's news that the with a 5-4 Ruling, people all over the country have been making their voices heard on this important issue. Suffice to say, there are many differing opinions on the historic ruling and here in Buckhead, opinion varies just as much.

Buckhead Patch spoke to and collected comments from some of the main players in the community today — from both the political realm and medical field — to gauge reaction.

Buckhead Coalition President , who is a democrat and former Mayor of Atlanta, said that while he nor the would take a side on the ruling, he did personally endorse the fact that the judicial system is hard at work. Many people support the ruling, but he said those that don't will get their chance to change things.

"I see the arguments on both sides," he said. "There is nothing wrong with finding fault with a ruling with which you disagree and we have procedures that people can go about changing rulings in an orderly fashion. Our system is not perfect but its still the best in the world," he said.

Buckhead's , which is a private, not-for-profit, acute-care, tertiary facility offering most major medical, surgical and diagnostic services issued a statement to Buckhead Patch as well.  

"The Supreme Court decision today does not change the course that we have been on for several years. Changes in our healthcare system will come because they must," a representative with the hospital said.

"We can’t continue as we are without causing more instability in the United States economy. Piedmont is among the healthcare providers across the country that acknowledges we must provide an even higher quality of care at an even lower cost."

Of course, there are also strong reactions against the ruling. U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, whose 11th district now includes part of Buckhead is not only a prominent politician but also a physician and serves as the co-chair of the GOP Doctors’ Caucus, giving him a unique perspective on the issue.

"In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Obamacare, the Republican members of the Georgia Congressional delegation today reaffirmed their commitment to the full repeal of the President’s health care law," Gingrey said from Washington D.C. via his website.

"The members cited infringement upon personal freedoms, increased health care costs, and crippling taxes as to why it must be removed. In Georgia alone, the law will cost taxpayers an extra $4.83 billion over 10 years."

Gingrey said that he is simply confounded by the ruling.

"The President and Congressional Democrats repeatedly and steadfastly denied that Obamacare was a tax, yet that is exactly what the Court has deemed it. In doing so, the Court did indeed rewrite the statute and engage in judicial tax-writing, as the dissenting opinion states. I believe that this disappointing ruling will be disastrous for our health care system, patients, and physicians."

What is your reaction to today's historic ruling?