Supreme Court Reviews ACA Preventive Services Requirement, Impacting Millions

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case challenging the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement that private health insurers cover preventive health services, which could impact coverage for 151 million Americans. The lawsuit, Braidwood Management v. Becerra, centers on whether employers can be compelled to offer preventive medications and services without out-of-pocket costs, such as vaccines, cancer screenings, and birth control. A lower court found that the Department of Health and Human Services could not force certain employers to comply, but the mandate remains in place pending the Supreme Court's decision. The case also questions whether the panel that determines covered preventive services, the PSTF, is constitutionally appointed and sufficiently overseen by the health secretary. If the Court rules against the ACA provision, coverage for key preventive services could be eroded for tens of millions. The outcome may hinge on how the Court interprets both the ACA's intent and constitutional requirements for federal appointees.