On Friday, the Supreme Court decided to take into consideration reintroducing some of the Affordable Care Act’s requirements for preventative care coverage that had been overturned by a lower court.
After the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of companies who contended that they could not be required to offer complete insurance coverage for things like HIV prevention drugs and certain cancer screenings, the federal government filed an appeal with the top court. The program, popularly known as Obamacare, was eroded by the lower court decision.
Some of the requirements were contested on the grounds of procedure and religion.
The decision did not jeopardize all preventive care. According to a 2023 analysis by the organization KFF, certain screenings, such as cervical cancer and mammography, will continue to be free of out-of-pocket expenses.
The group discovered that the verdict may not cover certain services and drugs, including as HIV prevention, lung cancer screening, statins to treat heart disease, and drugs to reduce the risk of breast cancer in high-risk women.
With the exception of the eight businesses that filed a lawsuit, the requirements are still in effect for the time being.
Because the United States Preventive Services Task Force’s members were not chosen by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the conservative 5th Circuit determined that the coverage criteria were unconstitutional.
The matter is anticipated to be heard in the spring by the court.