Supreme Court to Decide Fate of ACA Preventive Health Coverage

2025-04-20 prevention

Washington, D.C., Sunday, 20 April 2025.
The U.S. Supreme Court will determine the constitutionality of a task force setting healthcare coverage under the ACA. This decision may influence the accessibility of preventive services for millions.

The Constitutional Challenge

On April 21, 2025, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, a case that challenges the fundamental structure of preventive healthcare coverage in America [1][2]. At the heart of this dispute lies the constitutionality of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a 16-member volunteer panel that determines which preventive services must be covered without cost-sharing under the Affordable Care Act [3]. The plaintiffs, including Braidwood Management and several individuals, argue that the task force members are unconstitutionally appointed, potentially jeopardizing coverage mandates established since March 2010 [4].

Stakes for Public Health

The implications of this case extend far beyond constitutional technicalities. Currently, over 150 million Americans benefit from free preventive services mandated by the ACA [5]. These services include critical interventions such as cancer screenings, statins for heart disease prevention, and HIV-prevention medications [6]. Public health experts warn that an adverse ruling could have devastating consequences - according to estimates from Yale epidemiologists, the removal of cost-sharing for PrEP alone could result in 20,000 new HIV infections over the next five years [7].

Administration’s Defense

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has mounted a vigorous defense, arguing that the task force members are properly appointed inferior officers under his supervision [8]. The administration maintains that the Secretary possesses sufficient oversight authority, including the power to remove task force members and review their recommendations [9]. Notably, both the Trump and Biden administrations have defended the task force’s structure, highlighting the bipartisan recognition of its importance to public health [10].

Potential Implications

The Supreme Court’s decision, expected in June 2025, could fundamentally reshape preventive healthcare access in America [11]. Should the Court rule in favor of the plaintiffs, insurers would no longer be required to cover services recommended by the task force after March 2010 without cost-sharing [12]. Healthcare advocacy groups warn this could lead to increased mortality rates, particularly from preventable conditions like breast cancer [13]. As Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, notes: ‘This is going to mean more deaths at even a higher cost to Americans’ [14].

Bronnen

preventive care ACA