Architects, Industry Experts React to Supreme Court’s Ruling on Affordable Care Act

Construction is under way on the new James Cancer Center and Solove Research Institute at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, a 1.2 million-square-foot project in Columbus, Ohio, designed by HOK and Moody/Nolan.

The Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling last Thursday on the Affordable Care Act, essentially upholding the law. Following up on a story we published last week, we checked in with architects and industry experts around the country to hear their thoughts on the decision and how it might affect health care architecture. Share your own opinions in our reader survey.

Jennifer Coskren, senior economist with McGraw-Hill Construction

Health care construction starts have dropped in recent yearsand the decline persists. Through May of this year, total starts (in square footage terms) were down 24 percent. Coskren says the ruling should help jump-start projects, even while the economy continues to limp along. Now that the uncertainty is gone thanks to the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of the law, we feel that the industry will be able to move more confidently ahead with capital expenditure plans, she says. Demand for health care services are expected to increase, thanks to the over 30 million people who now will have access to health care insurance.

John Schneidawind, based in Washington, D.C., AIA media spokesman

The AIA didnt take a stance on the health care reform law. Now that the Court has upheld it, Schneidawind says the AIA will continue to educate its members on how the law affects them and what they need to do in order to prepare for its implementation. He adds: At the same time, we are continuing to monitor legislative action on health care and other issues that affect the practice of architecture.

Mary-Jean Eastman, based in NYC, founding principal of Perkins Eastman

I think our clients are taking a big collective sigh of relief, says Eastman. They have some sense of where things are going and are able to plan for the future.

Eastman believes the decision will spur design work, although architects likely will be focusing on primary-care facilities and optimizing efficiencies in existing hospitals. It will definitely affect the way we design the environments. It will be about quality, not quantity, which is probably a good thing, she says. In the Northeast, we dont need more beds. Its an issue of having the right beds.

Michael Pukszta, based in St. Louis, chair of Cannon Designs health care steering committee

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Architects, Industry Experts React to Supreme Court’s Ruling on Affordable Care Act