Washington (February 27, 2025) – The American Public Health Association, together with 115 leading public health deans, academics and organizations, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and American Health Trust, filed a public health amicus brief in a US Supreme Court case. v. BraidwoodManagement, Inc., et al.
This summary highlights the serious harm to public health that occurs when the High Court upholds a lower court’s decision to override the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, which provides free preventive health services to more than 150 million Americans.
“If the arbitration is permitted to withstand, no fatal disease is detected and no critical treatment is available. It will result in serious illness, chronic medical conditions, or otherwise prevented deaths,” says Brief.
Before the ACA, a considerable number of health insurance plans said they were unable to cover preventive testing and services. Plans that provided compensation often required patients to pay a share of the cost. This is a practice that has prevented many people from obtaining these potential lifesaving services.
“They’re doing this,” said Michael and Lingoldman of the Milken Institute’s School of Public Health at George Washington University. “The Supreme Court must maintain American access to these cost-free services.
Services that may be affected by the Supreme Court decision include screening for lung and colon cancer. Drugs that reduce the risk of heart attacks and breast cancer. Screening for diabetes and other chronic diseases. Other potential lifesaving services.
“We will improve the health and save money by improving the health and MD’s executive director of the American Public Health Association,” said George C. Benjamin. “We need to maintain access to these life-saving services to achieve optimal health for everyone.”
A brief request to the Supreme Court to reverse the lower court decisions and maintain Americans’ non-cost access to these important preventive health services. The Supreme Court will hear oral discussions on April 21, 2025.
The brief can be accessed on the Supreme Court website here. You can find the entire docket landing page in this case here.
Amici is represented by Attorney Andrew J. Pincus, Mayer Brown LLP in Washington, DC.
The views presented in the brief represent those of Amichi and do not reflect the views of their institutions.
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