Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson offered this statement after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in King v. Burwell, upholding the Affordable Care Act:

“The U.S. Supreme Court today gave a common-sense reading to Congress’s intent in passing the Affordable Care Act, ensuring all Americans can obtain health coverage at reasonable rates.

“Because Washington state established its own insurance exchange, it would not have been directly affected by an adverse decision.  Throwing millions of people across the country out of the Act’s system of subsidies, however, would have created what many have called a ‘death spiral’ and undermined the entire health insurance marketplace, ultimately disrupting Washington’s healthcare program.

“That’s why I joined with Attorneys General from 17 other states to file a friend-of-the-court brief opposing this misguided lawsuit against Obamacare.  I am pleased the Court agreed with our position standing up for affordable care.”