Description
Please see attachment below for instructions. YOU NEED TO READ CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW EVERY STEP. You may use attachments below as sources and help, but you also need two separate sources I have not posted here.
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1
Health Communication Major Paper Assignment Description
POINT VALUE: 100 points
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide you an opportunity to apply what you have learned in our class to life
outside of the classroom. At the same time, this assignment allows you demonstrate to me that you understand some of
the major course concepts we have covered in class.
HOW TO SUBMIT THE PAPER:
Use the submission link* provided in the Canvas module for the week when the assignment is due. Only Word
documents/files (.doc or .docx) will be accepted.
*Please note that the assignment link is connected to TurnItIn technology, which detects plagiarism and AI use. As
noted in the syllabus, the use of others’ work (with the exception of occasional citations), the use of your own previously
submitted work (copying sentences, paragraphs, etc. from other assignments), and the use of AI are prohibited in this
class. Any use of AI to produce this paper will result in a zero on the assignment.
PAPER TOPIC:
• Describe patient-provider communication, including challenges and advantages of effective communication
between patients and providers.
• Then discuss how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted patient-provider communication. Please include any
changes that have damaged patient-provider communication (or made it more challenging) and improved patientprovider communication.
• Next, explain what you think the long-term impact of these changes are.
• Keep in mind that “provider” in “patient-provider communication” can include many different health care
providers including doctors, home health aides, physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, mental health
professionals, and many others.
LENGTH (page requirement):
• 4 pages (not including the APA cover page or references page).
• There will be a 5-point deduction from your overall assignment grade for every 11 lines (equivalent to half a
page) over or under the page requirement. Learning how to be a thorough yet concise writer is important, and
these papers will provide a great opportunity to develop that skill. In order to be fair to all students, I will look at
the length of the paper very closely and deduct points when appropriate.
o Please note: I will correct any issues with APA style (margins, font size, font type, spacing, etc.) before
I asses page length. In other words, do not attempt to make your paper meet the page minimum or
maximum by changing the font or margins of your paper. If you do, you will lose points for two parts of
the paper: length and APA style.
WRITING:
• This is an upper division writing-intensive GE class. Therefore, college-level writing is expected. If you
struggle with your writing, contact the writing center for help.
STYLE:
APA (American Psychological Association), 7th edition
• RESOURCES: If you are not familiar with APA style, I posted several resources on Canvas (in the week 1
materials), including easy-to-use websites to help you (e.g., “The Owl Purdue” website and “American
Psychological Association” website).
•
FORMATTING: There are APA formatting requirements in terms of font size (12-pt.) and type (Times New
Roman), spacing (double), margins (1 inch on all sides), and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner.
2
o
o
This is important because students who use different margins, font sizes, font types, or use extra lines for
heading information may end up writing less (or possibly more) content than those who follow the correct
formatting requirements. In order to be fair to everyone in the class, everyone must use the same APA
formatting for their papers.
Please note the APA website indicates that there are a couple of font types that are acceptable. For this
class, only use 12-pt. Times New Roman font.
•
COVER PAGE: You must include an APA cover page for this assignment. Information about how to craft an
APA cover page is on Canvas. I suggest using the Owl Purdue website posted in the “Research and Writing
Resources” in week 1.
•
PAGE 1 of TEXT: Because you have a cover page, no heading information should be on the first page of
writing. Your name, class information, title, date, etc. will all be on the cover page.
o You will lose points if you include heading information on the first page of writing.
o I will delete any/all heading information when assessing the length of your paper. If deleting the heading
information makes your paper too short, you will lose points for length AND for having heading
information on the first page.
•
ABSTRACT and AUTHOR’S NOTE: Do not include an abstract or an “author’s note” for this paper (you will
see these in the APA example paper from the Owl Purdue posted on Canvas).
o If you include an author’s note or abstract, they will not count toward the page requirement for the paper.
BOLD FONT FOR COURSE CONCEPTS:
• All course concepts included in your paper should be in bold. Do not use bold font for entire sentences or
paragraphs. Identify key words from the textbook and use bold font to make them stick out in your paper. This
tends to help students ensure they have included enough course content in their papers, and helps me, as the
reader (and grader), to assign credit for including course content even when it is not as clear as I would have
expected.
o You will lose points on your overall paper grade if you do not include bold font for course concepts.
Please see the grading rubric for more details.
SOURCES: All citations must be in APA (7th edition) style (MLA, Chicago, and others will not be accepted). The
“Research and Writing Resources” module posted in week 1 has links to helpful websites that can show you how to
properly format your references. I suggest using the Owl Purdue website.
•
IN-TEXT CITATIONS: All sources must be cited in the text of the paper (including page numbers where you
found course concepts, if information is taken from the source word-for-word), using APA format.
•
REFERENCE LIST: In addition to in-text citations, all sources must be cited in a references page at the end of
the paper, using APA format.
o
•
All sources must be cited in both the text of the paper AND in the references page(s) to count as a
required source for the assignment. In other words, any source(s) cited in the text of the paper but not in
the reference page, AND any source(s) cited in the references page but not in the text of the paper, will
not count toward the required sources for this paper.
DIRECT QUOTES: You are allowed a maximum of two direct quotes (word-for-word copy of what the
author said) in your paper. The rest of the information you cite should be paraphrased.
o You must still cite sources when you paraphrase.
o If you include more than two direct quotes in your paper, there will be deduction per additional quote
from your overall paper grade. Please see the grading rubric for more details.
3
•
PERSONAL EXAMPLES: You should include personal examples and/or illustrations to highlight your
knowledge of course concepts. Do not formally cite yourself when providing personal examples in your paper.
Identify your personal examples clearly in the paper.
•
All papers must include proper APA (7th edition) citations for at least THREE different types of sources,
including:
(1) Information you get from the textbook (e.g., specific terms, theories, etc.).
o Do NOT cite lecture slides or a Canvas module.
(2) An article, video, or other supplementary material related to the topic that I posted on Canvas (NOT lecture
slides). Be sure to look up how to properly cite each type of source in the paper and in the references page.
(3) Two outside sources you found on your own, which can be one of the two source types below:
o An academic journal article through the library data base that expands on what you learned from the
content I posted on Canvas. I have posted a link to the library on Canvas in the “Research and Writing
Resources” module from Week 1.
o A news article from one of the following news sources: Wall Street Journal; New York Times;
Washington Post; Politico; PBS; NPR; Associated Press (AP); Reuters; Axios; ABC News; NBC News.
▪ These news sources have a strong reputation for fact-checking, minimizing bias (except perhaps
“opinion pieces”), and correcting any inadvertent errors if/when they are printed or aired.
▪ “Opinion” piece are NOT acceptable sources for this paper. These are labeled clearly with the
author’s credentials in the article.
▪ Blogs, letters to the editor, and “opinion” pieces are NOT acceptable sources for this paper. If
you use one of these types of sources, they will not count as a required source for the paper and
you will lose points on the assignment.
▪ A “Media Bias” chart is in the “Research and Writing Resources” module on Canvas to help
you see where various news outlets land in terms of reliability and political skew.
▪ If you cite something other than the appropriate “outside sources” listed above (e.g., a blog,
Wikipedia page, WebMD, etc.), you will get no more than half credit for this part of the
assignment.
o You may NOT use sources I post on Canvas as your “outside sources”. You must look for content
that is related to this class on your own, and integrate that content into your paper.
HOW TO WRITE YOUR PAPER:
1. A good paper should:
a. Be written at a level appropriate for an upper-division writing-intensive class.
b. Clearly address the paper topic you choose
c. Demonstrate high levels of insight and reflection
d. Integrate course concepts, outside sources, and (when applicable) personal knowledge and
experience to demonstrate that you completed course readings, viewed required videos, and engage with
the material on more than a superficial level
2. Be sure to integrate specific course concepts throughout your paper. Very broad terms such as “health
communication” or “disparities” do not count – you need to be more specific. For example, if you are writing
about health disparities, briefly define what health disparities are (remembering to cite your source), and let me
know you understand health disparities by including specific examples from articles and videos that I posted on
Canvas.
3. Be sure to use course concepts in a way that lets me know you understand them. In other words, concepts
should not simply be listed or “dropped” into the narrative. Be sure to use examples and/or explanations that
illustrate what the concepts mean. Remember, the goal of this assignment is for you to demonstrate that you
understand some of the major concepts that we have covered in class!
4. Remember to use bold font to identify any course concepts you are incorporating in your paper.
4
5. Your paper can focus on your own thoughts or insights on real life events that are occurring or have occurred, that
are directly related to content we have covered in our class. You can include personal examples or examples from
others when you feel comfortable.
6. Your paper should not simply summarize readings, videos, podcasts, or other content. Use the paper topic to
reflect on course content and create a narrative that demonstrates more than a superficial reading of the material.
7. This is a communication science course. Therefore, we will not entertain conspiracy theories or promote
information that is not science-based and data-driven. If an article I provide is an “opinion” piece, it will be
labeled as such, and should not be used for this paper.
SUGGESTED STEPS:
1. Read this assignment description AND the grading rubric in full. The grading rubric is exactly what will be
used to evaluate your paper, and how much each aspect of the paper is worth, so it is important to look at it and
understand my expectations before you begin the assignment.
2. Review the chapter(s), any lecture slides I posted, and supplemental material (videos, articles, podcasts, etc.) for
the chapters we have covered through the end of the week in which this paper is due. In other words, you
should not start this assignment until all chapters assigned up until this point (along with accompanying slides and
supplemental materials) have been reviewed.
3. Select a topic that is of interest to you.
4. Locate information on that topic in the chapter and/or other course readings or videos.
5. Locate two outside sources regarding the topic and read, listen to, or view them.
6. Outline your paper.
7. Write your paper.
8. Edit your paper – Writing counts!!!
9. I suggest that you submit your paper at least an hour before the submission deadline, to avoid any unforeseen
issues. See the rubric for late penalties.
Good luck and have fun!
GRADING RUBRIC
The rubric I will use to grade your paper will be posted separately on Canvas. Just click on the assignment link and
you can see what each section is worth, and what each score for each section represents.
1
Health Communication Major Paper Assignment Description
POINT VALUE: 100 points
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide you an opportunity to apply what you have learned in our class to life
outside of the classroom. At the same time, this assignment allows you demonstrate to me that you understand some of
the major course concepts we have covered in class.
HOW TO SUBMIT THE PAPER:
Use the submission link* provided in the Canvas module for the week when the assignment is due. Only Word
documents/files (.doc or .docx) will be accepted.
*Please note that the assignment link is connected to TurnItIn technology, which detects plagiarism and AI use. As
noted in the syllabus, the use of others’ work (with the exception of occasional citations), the use of your own previously
submitted work (copying sentences, paragraphs, etc. from other assignments), and the use of AI are prohibited in this
class. Any use of AI to produce this paper will result in a zero on the assignment.
PAPER TOPIC:
• Describe patient-provider communication, including challenges and advantages of effective communication
between patients and providers.
• Then discuss how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted patient-provider communication. Please include any
changes that have damaged patient-provider communication (or made it more challenging) and improved patientprovider communication.
• Next, explain what you think the long-term impact of these changes are.
• Keep in mind that “provider” in “patient-provider communication” can include many different health care
providers including doctors, home health aides, physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, mental health
professionals, and many others.
LENGTH (page requirement):
• 4 pages (not including the APA cover page or references page).
• There will be a 5-point deduction from your overall assignment grade for every 11 lines (equivalent to half a
page) over or under the page requirement. Learning how to be a thorough yet concise writer is important, and
these papers will provide a great opportunity to develop that skill. In order to be fair to all students, I will look at
the length of the paper very closely and deduct points when appropriate.
o Please note: I will correct any issues with APA style (margins, font size, font type, spacing, etc.) before
I asses page length. In other words, do not attempt to make your paper meet the page minimum or
maximum by changing the font or margins of your paper. If you do, you will lose points for two parts of
the paper: length and APA style.
WRITING:
• This is an upper division writing-intensive GE class. Therefore, college-level writing is expected. If you
struggle with your writing, contact the writing center for help.
STYLE:
APA (American Psychological Association), 7th edition
• RESOURCES: If you are not familiar with APA style, I posted several resources on Canvas (in the week 1
materials), including easy-to-use websites to help you (e.g., “The Owl Purdue” website and “American
Psychological Association” website).
•
FORMATTING: There are APA formatting requirements in terms of font size (12-pt.) and type (Times New
Roman), spacing (double), margins (1 inch on all sides), and page numbers in the upper right-hand corner.
2
o
o
This is important because students who use different margins, font sizes, font types, or use extra lines for
heading information may end up writing less (or possibly more) content than those who follow the correct
formatting requirements. In order to be fair to everyone in the class, everyone must use the same APA
formatting for their papers.
Please note the APA website indicates that there are a couple of font types that are acceptable. For this
class, only use 12-pt. Times New Roman font.
•
COVER PAGE: You must include an APA cover page for this assignment. Information about how to craft an
APA cover page is on Canvas. I suggest using the Owl Purdue website posted in the “Research and Writing
Resources” in week 1.
•
PAGE 1 of TEXT: Because you have a cover page, no heading information should be on the first page of
writing. Your name, class information, title, date, etc. will all be on the cover page.
o You will lose points if you include heading information on the first page of writing.
o I will delete any/all heading information when assessing the length of your paper. If deleting the heading
information makes your paper too short, you will lose points for length AND for having heading
information on the first page.
•
ABSTRACT and AUTHOR’S NOTE: Do not include an abstract or an “author’s note” for this paper (you will
see these in the APA example paper from the Owl Purdue posted on Canvas).
o If you include an author’s note or abstract, they will not count toward the page requirement for the paper.
BOLD FONT FOR COURSE CONCEPTS:
• All course concepts included in your paper should be in bold. Do not use bold font for entire sentences or
paragraphs. Identify key words from the textbook and use bold font to make them stick out in your paper. This
tends to help students ensure they have included enough course content in their papers, and helps me, as the
reader (and grader), to assign credit for including course content even when it is not as clear as I would have
expected.
o You will lose points on your overall paper grade if you do not include bold font for course concepts.
Please see the grading rubric for more details.
SOURCES: All citations must be in APA (7th edition) style (MLA, Chicago, and others will not be accepted). The
“Research and Writing Resources” module posted in week 1 has links to helpful websites that can show you how to
properly format your references. I suggest using the Owl Purdue website.
•
IN-TEXT CITATIONS: All sources must be cited in the text of the paper (including page numbers where you
found course concepts, if information is taken from the source word-for-word), using APA format.
•
REFERENCE LIST: In addition to in-text citations, all sources must be cited in a references page at the end of
the paper, using APA format.
o
•
All sources must be cited in both the text of the paper AND in the references page(s) to count as a
required source for the assignment. In other words, any source(s) cited in the text of the paper but not in
the reference page, AND any source(s) cited in the references page but not in the text of the paper, will
not count toward the required sources for this paper.
DIRECT QUOTES: You are allowed a maximum of two direct quotes (word-for-word copy of what the
author said) in your paper. The rest of the information you cite should be paraphrased.
o You must still cite sources when you paraphrase.
o If you include more than two direct quotes in your paper, there will be deduction per additional quote
from your overall paper grade. Please see the grading rubric for more details.
3
•
PERSONAL EXAMPLES: You should include personal examples and/or illustrations to highlight your
knowledge of course concepts. Do not formally cite yourself when providing personal examples in your paper.
Identify your personal examples clearly in the paper.
•
All papers must include proper APA (7th edition) citations for at least THREE different types of sources,
including:
(1) Information you get from the textbook (e.g., specific terms, theories, etc.).
o Do NOT cite lecture slides or a Canvas module.
(2) An article, video, or other supplementary material related to the topic that I posted on Canvas (NOT lecture
slides). Be sure to look up how to properly cite each type of source in the paper and in the references page.
(3) Two outside sources you found on your own, which can be one of the two source types below:
o An academic journal article through the library data base that expands on what you learned from the
content I posted on Canvas. I have posted a link to the library on Canvas in the “Research and Writing
Resources” module from Week 1.
o A news article from one of the following news sources: Wall Street Journal; New York Times;
Washington Post; Politico; PBS; NPR; Associated Press (AP); Reuters; Axios; ABC News; NBC News.
▪ These news sources have a strong reputation for fact-checking, minimizing bias (except perhaps
“opinion pieces”), and correcting any inadvertent errors if/when they are printed or aired.
▪ “Opinion” piece are NOT acceptable sources for this paper. These are labeled clearly with the
author’s credentials in the article.
▪ Blogs, letters to the editor, and “opinion” pieces are NOT acceptable sources for this paper. If
you use one of these types of sources, they will not count as a required source for the paper and
you will lose points on the assignment.
▪ A “Media Bias” chart is in the “Research and Writing Resources” module on Canvas to help
you see where various news outlets land in terms of reliability and political skew.
▪ If you cite something other than the appropriate “outside sources” listed above (e.g., a blog,
Wikipedia page, WebMD, etc.), you will get no more than half credit for this part of the
assignment.
o You may NOT use sources I post on Canvas as your “outside sources”. You must look for content
that is related to this class on your own, and integrate that content into your paper.
HOW TO WRITE YOUR PAPER:
1. A good paper should:
a. Be written at a level appropriate for an upper-division writing-intensive class.
b. Clearly address the paper topic you choose
c. Demonstrate high levels of insight and reflection
d. Integrate course concepts, outside sources, and (when applicable) personal knowledge and
experience to demonstrate that you completed course readings, viewed required videos, and engage with
the material on more than a superficial level
2. Be sure to integrate specific course concepts throughout your paper. Very broad terms such as “health
communication” or “disparities” do not count – you need to be more specific. For example, if you are writing
about health disparities, briefly define what health disparities are (remembering to cite your source), and let me
know you understand health disparities by including specific examples from articles and videos that I posted on
Canvas.
3. Be sure to use course concepts in a way that lets me know you understand them. In other words, concepts
should not simply be listed or “dropped” into the narrative. Be sure to use examples and/or explanations that
illustrate what the concepts mean. Remember, the goal of this assignment is for you to demonstrate that you
understand some of the major concepts that we have covered in class!
4. Remember to use bold font to identify any course concepts you are incorporating in your paper.
4
5. Your paper can focus on your own thoughts or insights on real life events that are occurring or have occurred, that
are directly related to content we have covered in our class. You can include personal examples or examples from
others when you feel comfortable.
6. Your paper should not simply summarize readings, videos, podcasts, or other content. Use the paper topic to
reflect on course content and create a narrative that demonstrates more than a superficial reading of the material.
7. This is a communication science course. Therefore, we will not entertain conspiracy theories or promote
information that is not science-based and data-driven. If an article I provide is an “opinion” piece, it will be
labeled as such, and should not be used for this paper.
SUGGESTED STEPS:
1. Read this assignment description AND the grading rubric in full. The grading rubric is exactly what will be
used to evaluate your paper, and how much each aspect of the paper is worth, so it is important to look at it and
understand my expectations before you begin the assignment.
2. Review the chapter(s), any lecture slides I posted, and supplemental material (videos, articles, podcasts, etc.) for
the chapters we have covered through the end of the week in which this paper is due. In other words, you
should not start this assignment until all chapters assigned up until this point (along with accompanying slides and
supplemental materials) have been reviewed.
3. Select a topic that is of interest to you.
4. Locate information on that topic in the chapter and/or other course readings or videos.
5. Locate two outside sources regarding the topic and read, listen to, or view them.
6. Outline your paper.
7. Write your paper.
8. Edit your paper – Writing counts!!!
9. I suggest that you submit your paper at least an hour before the submission deadline, to avoid any unforeseen
issues. See the rubric for late penalties.
Good luck and have fun!
GRADING RUBRIC
The rubric I will use to grade your paper will be posted separately on Canvas. Just click on the assignment link and
you can see what each section is worth, and what each score for each section represents.
Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law, 5-4, in Victory for Obama – T…
1 of 4
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/supreme-court-lets-health-law-l…
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/supreme-court-lets-healthlaw-largely-stand.html
Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law, 5-4, in Victory
for Obama
By Adam Liptak
June 28, 2012
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld President Obama’s health
care overhaul law, saying its requirement that most Americans obtain insurance or pay a
penalty was authorized by Congress’s power to levy taxes. The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief
Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joining the court’s four more liberal members.
The decision was a victory for Mr. Obama and Congressional Democrats, affirming the
central legislative achievement of Mr. Obama’s presidency.
“The Affordable Care Act’s requirement that certain individuals pay a financial penalty
for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably be characterized as a tax,” Chief
Justice Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. “Because the Constitution permits such a
tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness.”
At the same time, the court rejected the argument that the administration had pressed
most vigorously in support of the law, that its individual mandate was justified by
Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce. The vote was again 5 to 4, but in this
instance Chief Justice Roberts and the court’s four more conservative members were in
agreement.
The court also substantially limited the law’s expansion of Medicaid, the joint federalstate program that provides health care to poor and disabled people. Seven justices
agreed that Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority by coercing states into
participating in the expansion by threatening them with the loss of existing federal
payments.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who had been thought to be the administration’s best hope
to provide a fifth vote to uphold the law, joined three more conservative members in an
unusual jointly written dissent that said the court should have struck down the entire law.
10/3/21, 3:17 PM
Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law, 5-4, in Victory for Obama – T…
2 of 4
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/supreme-court-lets-health-law-l…
The majority’s approach, he said from the bench, “amounts to a vast judicial
overreaching.”
The court’s ruling was the most significant federalism decision since the New Deal and
the most closely watched case since Bush v. Gore in 2000. It was a crucial milestone for
the law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, allowing almost all — and
perhaps, in the end, all — of its far-reaching changes to roll forward.
Mr. Obama welcomed the court’s decision on the health care law, which has inspired
fierce protests, legal challenges and vows of repeal since it was passed. “Whatever the
politics, today’s decision was a victory for people all over this country whose lives are
more secure because of this law,” he said at the White House.
Republicans, though, used the occasion to attack it again.
“Obamacare was bad policy yesterday; it’s bad policy today,” Mitt Romney, the
presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said in remarks near the Capitol.
“Obamacare was bad law yesterday; it’s bad law today.” He, like Congressional
Republicans, renewed his pledge to undo the law.
The historic decision, coming after three days of lively oral arguments in March and in
the midst of a presidential campaign, drew intense attention across the nation. Outside
the court, more than 1,000 people gathered — packing the sidewalk, playing music,
chanting slogans — and a loud cheer went up as word spread that the law had been
largely upheld. Chants of “Yes we can!” rang out, but the ruling also provoked
disappointment among Tea Party supporters.
In Loudoun County, Va., Angela Laws, 58, the owner of a cleaning service, said she and
her fiancé were relieved at the news. “We laughed, and we shouted with joy and hugged
each other,” she said, explaining that she had been unable to get insurance because of her
diabetes and back problems until a provision in the health care law went into effect.
After months of uncertainty about the law’s fate, the court’s ruling provides some clarity
— and perhaps an alert — to states, insurers, employers and consumers about what they
are required to do by 2014, when much of the law comes into force.
The Obama administration had argued that the mandate was necessary because it
allowed other provisions of the law to function: those overhauling the way insurance is
sold and those preventing sick people from being denied or charged extra for insurance.
The mandate’s supporters had said it was necessary to ensure that not only sick people
but also healthy individuals would sign up for coverage, keeping insurance premiums
more affordable.
10/3/21, 3:17 PM
Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law, 5-4, in Victory for Obama – T…
3 of 4
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/supreme-court-lets-health-law-l…
Conservatives took comfort from two parts of the decision: the new limits it placed on
federal regulation of commerce and on the conditions the federal government may
impose on money it gives the states.
Five justices accepted the argument that had been at the heart of the challenges brought
by 26 states and other plaintiffs: that the federal government is not permitted to force
individuals not engaged in commercial activities to buy services they do not want. That
was a stunning victory for a theory pressed by a small band of conservative and
libertarian lawyers. Most members of the legal academy view the theory as misguided,if
not frivolous.
“To an economist, perhaps, there is no difference between activity and inactivity; both
have measurable economic effects on commerce,” Chief Justice Roberts wrote. “But the
distinction between doing something and doing nothing would not have been lost on the
framers, who were practical statesmen, not metaphysical philosophers.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in an opinion joined by Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia
Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, dissented on this point, calling the view “stunningly
retrogressive.” She wondered why Chief Justice Roberts had seen fit to address it at all in
light of his vote to uphold the mandate under the tax power.
Akhil Reed Amar, a Yale law professor and a champion of the health care law, said that it
was “important to look at the dark cloud behind the silver lining.”
“Federal power has more restrictions on it,” he said, referring to the new limits on
regulating commerce. “Going forward, there may even be laws on the books that have to
be re-examined.”
The restrictions placed on the Medicaid expansion may also have significant ripple
effects. A splintered group of justices effectively revised the law to allow states to choose
between participating in the expansion while receiving additional payments or forgoing
the expansion and retaining the existing payments. The law had called for an all-ornothing choice.
The expansion had been designed to provide coverage to 17 million Amer
