Supreme Court Upholds ACA Preventive Services Task Force in 6-3 Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a key Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision that requires certain preventive health services, including cancer screenings, immunizations, and PrEP for HIV prevention, to be covered at no cost to patients. The 6-3 ruling clarified that members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which determines these covered services, can be appointed and removed at will by the Health and Human Services Secretary, currently Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Court's majority opinion, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, emphasized that this structure aligns with the constitutional appointments clause, rejecting challenges that task force appointments violated federal law. This ruling preserves protections for an estimated 150 million Americans who benefit from these preventive care services annually. The decision was met with mixed reactions: legal experts noted the ruling maintains the ACA's intended framework but highlighted the increased control vested in the HHS Secretary over task force recommendations. Meanwhile, the ruling coincided with other Supreme Court decisions affecting healthcare rights, such as upholding Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors, underscoring ongoing legal battles over healthcare access in the U.S.