GOP OFFICEHOLDERS

Rep. Mike Simpson: “Congress should re-double its effort to repeal Obamacare and begin the process of enacting market-based reforms that will truly lower costs and increase access.”

Sen. Jim Risch: “This holding will greatly limit what the law intended to do, which was to provide free health care to an additional 20 million to 30 million people. With today’s ruling, states will be relieved of this burden, and the law’s primary objective will fail.”

Sen. Mike Crapo: “More than 75 percent of the individual mandate — a tax — will be paid by those middle-income families the president pledged to protect from any tax increase.”

Rep. Raul Labrador: “What is there now to prevent the federal government, or one of its agencies, from taxing us to compel the purchase of life insurance, a cellphone or any other product Washington deems is necessary for us all?”

Gov. Butch Otter: “This is a sad day for self-determination and for individual liberty.”

HOSPITALS

Dr. David Pate, St. Luke’s Health System president and chief executive officer: “What you hope is that by having Medicaid, maybe (low-income people) will access (health care) earlier, before conditions become worse and even more costly.”

Sally Jeffcoat, president and CEO of Saint Alphonsus Health System: “While we do not think the Affordable Care Act is perfect, we believe it goes a long way toward creating a health care system that is available for everyone.”

HEALTH INSURERS

Blue Cross of Idaho: “Our major focus should now be on establishing a state-based health insurance exchange. ... (A) state-based exchange ensures Idahoans are clearly represented when deciding how they will purchase individual insurance in the future.”

Regence BlueShield of Idaho: “While the law expands coverage to millions of Americans, it does not meaningfully address the unsustainable rise in health care costs. It also includes a premium tax that we oppose because it increases the cost of coverage for consumers and employers.”

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

Dr. Ted Epperly, Family Medicine Residency of Idaho: “There’s so much fear and confusion around the complexity of health care that a lot of people have looked at this as just a win or lose. ... (It) allows more patients to qualify for Medicaid, (and) we see a lot of poor patients who would benefit from Medicaid.”

Dr. Louis Schlickman, primary care physician in Meridian: “This preserves the health insurance industry whose goal is to make money. ... Despite a few good things, like no caps on lifetime benefits (and) wellness benefits ... we’re still stuck with an overpriced product.”

INTEREST GROUPS

Idaho Freedom Foundation: “Without question, the ruling is a major blow to freedom. That said, we are not done fighting (the Affordable Care Act).”

Idaho Primary Care Association: “Inside all the community health centers in Idaho, we think there’s about 30,000 (patients) who will jump on the Medicaid rolls. ... (Idaho’s) decision needs to be: Do we take advantage of it, or do we stomp our feet and say no?” said Board Chairman Mike Baker, CEO of Dirne Community Health Center in Coeur d’Alene.