The Supreme Court’s monumental 5-4 health care decision is a welcome and surprising development.

Surprising especially because Chief Justice John Roberts joined the four liberal justices, as he did in the Arizona SB 1070 ruling.

Looks like the chief is no longer a slam dunk for the rightwing on every issue.

In practical terms, the upholding of health care reform is a huge relief for millions of Americans.

Parents who have kids between the ages of 21 and 26 can rest assured that their children won’t be bereft of health care.

Parents of children with preexisting conditions can rest assured that they suddenly won’t have to watch helplessly as their children’s conditions deteriorate when they could actually be cured.

105 million Americans who could have been cut off because they might reach their lifetime limits under their insurance policies will remain safely insured.

And millions of Americans who are availing themselves of free preventive health care screenings can still get checked without charge.

The health care reform law isn’t perfect, and it keeps the private insurance companies in the money. A Medicare-For-All (or Medicare-For-All-Who-Want-It) system would have been far preferable. But killing health care reform outright would have caused grave human suffering.

Politically, the court’s ruling is not just a boost to Obama. More importantly, it’s a setback to the rabid right, which has barked itself hoarse over this issue.

Now they’ll have to find another bone to chew on.

If you liked this story by Matthew Rothschild, the editor of The Progressive magazine, check out his story “Supreme Court Reaffirms Citizens United."

Follow Matthew Rothschild @mattrothschild on Twitter