Update: Dold, Kirk Want Changes to Affordable Care Act, Schakowsky Praises Decision

(Update at 2:15 p.m.) Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) wants to make change to some parts of the Affordable Care Act and retain other provisions in the wake of today’s United States Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to uphold the law.

“We need to put in place provisions we’ve talked about and repeal some of the others,” Dold said today. “I consider the doctor-patient relationship sacrosanct and nothing should come in between that.”

Among other things, Dold wants to get rid of the Independent Patient Advisory Board, a 15-member panel created by the Affordable Care Act charged with finding Medicare savings.

Dold wants to retain the provisions allowing people under 26 to remain on their parents’ coverage and those that prohibit an insurer from withholding coverage from a person because of a pre-existing medical condition. One of Dold’s biggest concerns is the cost of health care.

“I have seen health care costs for my employees rise over 44 percent in the last two years,” Dold said. “This bill fails to improve the quality of health care and it fails to reduce the cost of health care for the American people.”

, on the Affordable Care Act.

(Earlier at 11:55) fears today’s United States Supreme Court decision upholding President Obama’s Affordable Care Act will threaten the country’s economic recovery, according to a statement issued by his office.

Kirk called for repeal of the law. He wants to replace it with reforms that will foster competition in the insurance industry and give people more options purchasing protection.

“The health care law threatens our economic recovery by raising taxes, imposing new regulations and creating a drag on the economy," Kirk said in the statement. "Congress (should) replace it with common sense, centrist reforms that give Americans the right to buy insurance across state lines and expand coverage without raising taxes.”

(Earlier: 10 a.m.) Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) called today historic with the decision of the United States Supreme Court to uphold the Affordable Care Act considering it the most significant law Congress has passed in the last 50 years.

“The law ends insurance industry abuses in the health system, improves Medicare and Medicaid for seniors and the disabled, and covers millions of uninsured Americans,” Schakowsky said in a prepared statement.

According to Schakowsky, more than 86 million Americans have already benefitted from the new law including 6.6 million people under 26 who can remain on their parents’ existing coverage. She thinks it should be a start not a finish.

“This positive decision by the nation’s highest court in the land should resolve any doubts that Congress can and should act to ensure that Americans get the health care they need at a price they can afford,” Schakowsky said. “It will allow us to move forward and maintain our commitment to real health care security.” 

The Court’s decision means when the law is fully in place in two more years, people can no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. “No longer will families be bankrupt because someone gets sick,” Schakowsky said. “People with mental illness will get the care they need.” 

Patch will have comments from Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) this afternoon. 

(Earlier: 9:27 a.m.)  voted 5-4 today to uphold President Barack Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act.

Chief Justice John Roberts joined with the Court’s liberal wing of Associate Justices Elena Kagan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor to uphold one of the President’s signature accomplishments.

This means all provisions of the law including the individual mandate requiring all Americans without health care to purchase it will take effect.

Patch will have an update later today with the reactions of and .