The Supreme Court has agreed to review the case regarding the reinstatement of certain preventative care coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act. This decision comes after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of employers who objected to providing full insurance coverage for medications to prevent HIV and some cancer screenings.
The lower court's ruling raised concerns among challengers, who cited religious and procedural reasons for opposing the requirements. However, it's important to note that not all preventive care services were affected by the ruling.
An analysis conducted by the KFF in 2023 revealed that certain screenings, such as mammography and cervical cancer screening, would still be covered without any out-of-pocket costs. On the other hand, services like statins for heart disease prevention, lung cancer screening, HIV prevention, and medications to reduce breast cancer risk for high-risk women might not be covered under the ruling.
While the coverage requirements remain in effect for most entities, eight companies that filed the lawsuit are exempt for now. The 5th Circuit Court found the requirements to be unconstitutional as they were established by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, whose members were not appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case in the upcoming spring, which will likely bring further clarity to the issue at hand.
