“Earlier today, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act — the name of the health care reform we passed two years ago. In doing so, they’ve reaffirmed a fundamental principle that here in America — in the wealthiest nation on Earth – no illness or accident should lead to any family’s financial ruin.

“I know there will be a lot of discussion today about the politics of all this, about who won and who lost. That’s how these things tend to be viewed here in Washington. But that discussion completely misses the point. Whatever the politics, today’s decision was a victory for people all over this country whose lives will be more secure because of this law and the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold it. And because this law has a direct impact on so many Americans, I want to take this opportunity to talk about exactly what it means for you,” said President Barack Obama about the historic decision.

The Affordable Care Act is already helping thousands of people in Maine.According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s tax credit calculator for the federal health reform law, a family of four in Maine earning the median income of $46,000 a year could get a tax credit that would cover nearly 80 percent of the family’s total cost of health care for the year – that’s a tax credit of up to $10,000 to help pay for health care.

Here’s what’s already happening in Maine:
• 7,329 young adults gained health care coverage
• $2,579,922 will be returned to consumers in Maine with average of $436 per family
• 11,892 seniors saved an average of $1,384 on prescription drugs in Medicare
• 226, 000 received preventative services with no co-pays
• 88,434 seniors received preventative services without co-pays in Medicare as a result of the ACA
• Passed a contraceptive equity law requiring insurers to cover contraception on the same basis that they cover men’s reproductive health services.
• Passed state-level laws to prohibit lifetime dollar limits and annual dollar limits; require young adult coverage up to age 26; prohibit rescissions; require coverage of preventive services without co-pays; prohibit discrimination on the basis of pre-existing conditions for those aged 19 and under; require coverage of emergency care; require choice of primary care providers; require choice of pediatricians; and require direct access to obstetrical and gynecological care.

Maine’s two members in the House of Representatives responded immediately to the news. Congresswomen Chellie Pingree said, “The Court made the right decision in preserving the basic consumer protections in the health care reform law—like letting young people stay on their parents’ policies or preventing insurance companies from canceling your coverage when you get sick. The court did the right thing by ruling in favor of consumers instead of siding with the big insurance companies.”

“I am pleased that the Supreme Court’s ruling has provided the certainty Congress and the American people need on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act,” said Congressman Mike Michaud.

Lawmakers in Augusta also praised the decision.

“The action by the court today is an incredible victory for the millions of Americans and tens of thousands of families across Maine, who will soon be able to afford to get the care and medication they need,” said Rep. Sharon Treat, D-Hallowell, who is the ranking Democrat on the Insurance and Financial Services Committee. “Now that we have a decision, it is time for people to put aside the politics and posturing. We must roll up our sleeves and make sure Maine people get the access to affordable health care that they need.”

Treat noted because of ObamaCare a family of four in Maine earning the median income of $46,000 a year could get a tax credit that would cover nearly 80 percent of the family’s total cost of health care for the year.

The health reform law has provided critical preventative services in Maine such as well-visits for children, cancer screenings, smoking cessation counseling or immunizations with no out-of-pocket cost to 226,000 Maine people. More than 7,000 young adults in Maine now have health care coverage through their parent’s plan because of the law. Nearly 12,000 older Mainers each saved an average of $1,384 on prescription drugs purchased through Medicare.

“People should never have to go bankrupt because of illness or injury, or die of a treatable disease,” said Rep. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, a retired family physician, who serves on the Health and Human Services Committee. “Now, we can finally put aside the politics and focus on fixing the health care crisis in our country and our state.”

Sanborn added, “ObamaCare put our nation on the right track by prioritizing prevention, stopping the worst abuses by insurance companies, such as revoking insurance after you get sick or refusing to insure pre-existing conditions or discriminating against women; and making health care affordable for families and businesses.”

State Democrats said the ruling is particularly important for Maine people, who are seeing sharp increases in health care premiums from the rate hike law forced through by state Republican leaders in Maine last year and for those seniors and families that lost health care coverage in the GOP budget cuts.

“ObamaCare has been the last parachute for Maine people and small businesses who have had to pay more for less coverage and for those seniors and families who were thrown off coverage completely,” said Rep. Adam Goode, who was a leading opponent of the budget cuts and the Republican deregulation of the insurance market, which has allowed insurance companies to increase premiums with little or no prior review and based on an individual’s age, where they live, or what kind of job they have.

Goode added, “Families in Maine and across our country scored big over big insurance companies today.”

The following is the rest of President Obama’s statement:

First, if you’re one of the more than 250 million Americans who already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance — this law will only make it more secure and more affordable. Insurance companies can no longer impose lifetime limits on the amount of care you receive. They can no longer discriminate against children with preexisting conditions. They can no longer drop your coverage if you get sick. They can no longer jack up your premiums without reason. They are required to provide free preventive care like check-ups and mammograms — a provision that’s already helped 54 million Americans with private insurance. And by this August, nearly 13 million of you will receive a rebate from your insurance company because it spent too much on things like administrative costs and CEO bonuses, and not enough on your health care.

There’s more. Because of the Affordable Care Act, young adults under the age of 26 are able to stay on their parent’s health care plans — a provision that’s already helped 6 million young Americans. And because of the Affordable Care Act, seniors receive a discount on their prescription drugs — a discount that’s already saved more than 5 million seniors on Medicare about $600 each.

All of this is happening because of the Affordable Care Act. These provisions provide common-sense protections for middle class families, and they enjoy broad popular support. And thanks to today’s decision, all of these benefits and protections will continue for Americans who already have health insurance.

Now, if you’re one of the 30 million Americans who don’t yet have health insurance, starting in 2014 this law will offer you an array of quality, affordable, private health insurance plans to choose from. Each state will take the lead in designing their own menu of options, and if states can come up with even better ways of covering more people at the same quality and cost, this law allows them to do that, too. And I’ve asked Congress to help speed up that process, and give states this flexibility in year one.

Once states set up these health insurance marketplaces, known as exchanges, insurance companies will no longer be able to discriminate against any American with a preexisting health condition. They won’t be able to charge you more just because you’re a woman. They won’t be able to bill you into bankruptcy. If you’re sick, you’ll finally have the same chance to get quality, affordable health care as everyone else. And if you can’t afford the premiums, you’ll receive a credit that helps pay for it.

Today, the Supreme Court also upheld the principle that people who can afford health insurance should take the responsibility to buy health insurance. This is important for two reasons.

First, when uninsured people who can afford coverage get sick, and show up at the emergency room for care, the rest of us end up paying for their care in the form of higher premiums.

And second, if you ask insurance companies to cover people with preexisting conditions, but don’t require people who can afford it to buy their own insurance, some folks might wait until they’re sick to buy the care they need — which would also drive up everybody else’s premiums.

That’s why, even though I knew it wouldn’t be politically popular, and resisted the idea when I ran for this office, we ultimately included a provision in the Affordable Care Act that people who can afford to buy health insurance should take the responsibility to do so. In fact, this idea has enjoyed support from members of both parties, including the current Republican nominee for President.

Still, I know the debate over this law has been divisive. I respect the very real concerns that millions of Americans have shared. And I know a lot of coverage through this health care debate has focused on what it means politically.

Well, it should be pretty clear by now that I didn’t do this because it was good politics. I did it because I believed it was good for the country. I did it because I believed it was good for the American people.

There’s a framed letter that hangs in my office right now. It was sent to me during the health care debate by a woman named Natoma Canfield. For years and years, Natoma did everything right. She bought health insurance. She paid her premiums on time. But 18 years ago, Natoma was diagnosed with cancer. And even though she’d been cancer-free for more than a decade, her insurance company kept jacking up her rates, year after year. And despite her desire to keep her coverage — despite her fears that she would get sick again — she had to surrender her health insurance, and was forced to hang her fortunes on chance.

I carried Natoma’s story with me every day of the fight to pass this law. It reminded me of all the Americans, all across the country, who have had to worry not only about getting sick, but about the cost of getting well.

Natoma is well today. And because of this law, there are other Americans — other sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers — who will not have to hang their fortunes on chance. These are the Americans for whom we passed this law.

The highest Court in the land has now spoken. We will continue to implement this law. And we’ll work together to improve on it where we can. But what we won’t do — what the country can’t afford to do — is refight the political battles of two years ago, or go back to the way things were.

With today’s announcement, it’s time for us to move forward — to implement and, where necessary, improve on this law. And now is the time to keep our focus on the most urgent challenge of our time: putting people back to work, paying down our debt, and building an economy where people can have confidence that if they work hard, they can get ahead.

But today, I’m as confident as ever that when we look back five years from now, or 10 years from now, or 20 years from now, we’ll be better off because we had the courage to pass this law and keep moving forward.