Note from Dean Berkowitz Regarding Supreme Court Ruling on ACA

As many of you are by now aware, on June 28th, the Supreme Court upheld practically all of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This milestone ruling is expected to provide insurance coverage for an estimated 32 million previously uninsured Americans and brings closer the reality of an American health care system that provides accessible care for all its citizens.

However, while the court upheld an expansion of Medicaid, it did limit the federal government's ability to penalize states that refuse to comply.

In the coming days the impact of the ruling will become better understood, but this decision clearly represents a transformational change to our health care system. It also represents an opportunity for our profession to help bridge the gap between coverage and access as nurses fulfill their potential as primary care providers to the full extent of their education and training. Our school's mission has never been more critical as we help prepare a workforce with the high level of competence that will be now be relied upon more than ever to promote health, prevent illness, and care for people in all settings across their lifespan.

I know you join with me in welcoming the potential new and expanded role of nurses in a redesigned health care system.