Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
High Court To Hear ACA Case In April; House Votes Today On Medicaid Cuts
The Hill: Supreme Court Schedules Arguments In Case Where Trump Administration Is Defending ACA
The Supreme Court on Monday scheduled arguments for April 21 in a case that could decide the legality of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement that insurers cover certain preventive services. In a surprising move, the Trump administration said it will continue the Biden White House’s defense of that requirement. But some legal experts said the arguments being presented by the Justice Department indicate a desire to give Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. substantial control over an independent government task force. (Weixel, 2/24)
Modern Healthcare: How Trump May Reshape Medicare Pay, ACA, 340B Through Lawsuits
Major changes to Medicare payments, the Affordable Care Act and labor issues could be on the horizon depending on the Trump administration's next moves in court. The administration must decide whether to defend the federal government's position in a series of key healthcare cases that could reshape coverage requirements under the ACA, influence billions of dollars in hospital payments and restructure fundamental workforce policies. (Early, 2/24)
In related news about Medicaid —
Forbes: GOP Resistance To Medicaid Cuts Could Tank Tuesday's House Budget Vote
House Republicans are expected to vote on a spending blueprint Tuesday that would kickstart the legislative process for enacting President Donald Trump’s policy agenda—but nearly $1 trillion in potential cuts to Medicaid has made some Republicans uneasy, threatening to derail its passage. (Dorn, 2/24)
Time: GOP Lawmaker Tells Trump He May Vote Against Budget Bill Over Medicaid Cuts
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a former Democrat from New Jersey turned Trump-supporting Republican, tells TIME that he’s prepared to vote against the sweeping budget plan on Tuesday, claiming its proposed $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid are too extreme—even if it helps pay for tax cuts and new national security spending. (Popli, 2/24)
Politico: Dems Are Preparing To Blast Republicans On Health Care. It Worked In 2018.
House Democrats hammered Republicans on health care to win back the majority in 2018. Now, they are preparing to punish them again. Private messaging guidance from party leaders, sent to Democratic lawmakers ahead of a planned Tuesday budget vote and obtained by POLITICO, urged them to accuse Republicans of “betray[ing] the middle class by cutting Medicaid while giving huge tax breaks to billionaire donors.” And it encouraged members to “localize” the effects of slashing billions from Medicaid. (Schneider and Wu, 2/25)
USA Today: Get A Job Or Lose Medicaid? Arkansas And Georgia Show It's Not That Simple.
Arkansas and Georgia both imposed job requirements for Medicaid recipients. Advocates said the programs added red tape and administrative costs. (Alltucker, 2/24)
CBS News: Maryland School-Based Mental Health Services Expanded For Medicaid-Enrolled Students
Maryland's health department has expanded its coverage for families on Medicaid to provide students with certain behavioral and mental health services. Now, Maryland public schools can bill Medicaid for students to be given behavioral and mental health services, which could include diagnostic evaluations, individual therapy, family therapy and group therapy, according to the state. (Thompson, 2/24)
