Washington, D.C. - Last night, the Solicitor General’s office filed its merits brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Braidwood Management v. Kennedy, outlining its intention to defend the provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires most private insurers to cover preventive services recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) without cost sharing by patients. Organizations representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and thousands of health care professionals applaud the administration’s decision to continue to defend the vital provision of the ACA.
Research has proven that any cost sharing can be a deterrent to accessing critical prevention and early detection and ultimately puts lives at risk. According to a recent American Cancer Society study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, millions of privately insured people will lose access to breast, colorectal, and lung cancer screenings without cost sharing if the provision of the ACA is declared unconstitutional.
Thirty-five organizations filed an amicus brief in October 2024 supporting the government’s petition for certiorari in the case, providing extensive scientific data demonstrating that preventive services save lives and are cost-effective.
From the October 2024 amicus brief:
“Amici support the petition for certiorari because preventive care recommended by USPSTF is crucial for maintaining strong public health, preventing the development of a wide range of conditions, promoting early detection of certain conditions and improving survival rates. Impeding patients’ access to preventive care would have an immediate and devastating impact.
“The ACA preventive services provision requiring private insurers cover USPSTF-recommended services without cost sharing increases patients’ ability to receive care that can prevent disease outright, identify conditions early, and reduce the physical and financial burdens of treating severe illnesses. Detecting severe diseases early allows for less invasive, more effective, and lower-cost treatment options, and substantially improves patient outcomes. The ACA’s preventive-care requirements have functioned for more than ten years, enabling millions of Americans to obtain preventive care and improving utilization of these vital services nationwide. Reducing insurance coverage for preventive services will lead to worsening patient outcomes, resulting in preventable deaths, and creating higher long-term medical costs.”
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American College of Chest Physicians
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
American College of Physicians
American Kidney Fund
American Medical Association
American Medical Women's Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Thoracic Society
Arthritis Foundation
Cancer Support Community
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Epilepsy Foundation of America
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Health
Hemophilia Federation of America
Infectious Diseases Society of America
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Medical Association
National Minority Quality Forum
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Patient Advocate Foundation
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons
The AIDS Institute
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society
The groups plan to stay engaged throughout the duration of the case because so many lives are at stake.
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