A conservative appeals court has made a significant ruling regarding the Affordable Care Act's requirements for certain preventive services to be covered by insurers at no cost. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals reversed parts of a previous ruling that would have blocked nationwide coverage for cancer screenings, heart medication, and other preventive services.
The court upheld a trial judge's decision that some of the coverage mandates were unlawful due to constitutional violations by the federal task force responsible for recommending covered services. The case focused on recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
US District Judge Reed O'Connor had previously invalidated certain task force recommendations, citing violations of the Constitution's appointments clause. This ruling would have affected coverage for cancer screenings, cardiovascular disease prevention with statins, counseling for at-risk pregnant women, and HIV-prevention measures.
The 5th Circuit's new ruling sets a precedent for similar cases in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, potentially impacting millions of Americans seeking exemptions from coverage mandates. The decision could lead to further legal challenges and a possible Supreme Court showdown over the Affordable Care Act.
The Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the ruling. The case has been sent back to the lower court for further review of the constitutionality of recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, the plaintiffs have the opportunity to challenge additional recommendations from the task force. Andrew Twinamatsiko, a director at the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, noted that while the services remain available nationwide, the fight is far from over.
