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Affordable Care Act supporters, opponents wait for U.S. Supreme Court ruling

A report from a national healthcare advocacy group shows that nearly five hundred Hoosiers died as a result of not having health insurance in 2010.

The number of uninsured Americans ages 25 to 64 hit an all-time high in 2010, the most recent year for which data is available.  And using a formula developed by a national research institute, a study by Families USA shows that more than 26 thousand people died as a result.

Executive Director Ron Pollack says the cost of a lack of health insurance is often lost in the national debate.

“Many millions of Americans without health coverage are denied regular access to quality care and many of these people face an unjust sentence of a less healthy life and an earlier death.”

Pollack says those without health insurance often put off going to the doctor, making symptoms worse and leading to more dire causes.

In Indiana, more than 615,000 Hoosiers are uninsured, leading to almost 500 deaths in 2010 according to Pollock.

Congressman Todd Rokita (R-IN) says ensuring health care coverage for Americans is vital. However, he thinks a federally-run health care system is not the way to do it. 

“Consumerism, competition for services and the competition that those service providers will see amongst themselves will really reduce costs.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act before the end of June.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.