Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Supreme Court Hears 'Crucial' Case Today On Free Preventive Health Care
NBC News: Obamacare Free Preventative Care Rule In Flux As Supreme Court Reviews Case
The Supreme Court on Monday is set to hear arguments in a case challenging a provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires private insurers to cover health care screenings, tests and checkups for free. Experts say the court’s ruling in the case, called Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, could have sweeping consequences for patient access to preventive health care across the United States. (Lovelace Jr., 4/18)
CNN: Trump Is Defending Obamacare At The Supreme Court. A Win Could Boost RFK Jr.’s Influence
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is defending the Affordable Care Act before the Supreme Court – a notable contrast to his first term, when his administration sought to repeal the law in Congress and then refused to defend it in a major challenge brought by GOP-led states. But a win for the federal government in the current case, concerning the law’s mandates that certain preventive services are covered cost-free, could boost the power that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has in shaping those requirements. (Sneed, Luhby and Owermohle, 4/20)
In Medicaid and Medicare news —
The Hill: Trump Swears-In Mehmet Oz As CMS Administrator
President Trump on Friday swore in Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), granting the former TV host vast influence over the nation’s largest public health insurance program. At the swearing-in ceremony held in the Oval Office, Trump lauded Oz as an “internationally acclaimed heart and lung surgeon,” quipping “how convenient” it was that Oz attended Harvard University. The Trump administration has been engaged in an escalating back-and-forth with the university over its refusal to heed the White House’s demands in exchange for federal funding. (Choi, 4/18)
MedPage Today: Leaked HHS Budget Draft Deletes Federal Spending For SHIP Counseling Programs
The leaked "pre-decisional" HHS budget for fiscal year 2026 would eliminate some $55 million in discretionary funding for the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP), whose counselors help seniors navigate and understand their incredibly complex array of Medicare plan choices. That, of course, does not necessarily mean that federal money for the SHIP program will stop. The 64-page budget document circulating this week dated April 10 is just a draft, and the final budget must be approved by Congress. (Clark, 4/18)
The Wall Street Journal: Hospital Chains’ Medicaid Profits Are A Juicy Target For GOP Budget Hawks
Universal Health Services has a billionaire controlling shareholder and a lucrative Medicaid cash stream. That plays into the hands of congressional Republicans eyeing large budget cuts while looking to show they aren’t just targeting the poor. The stakes, and downside risks, are enormous for UHS investors. (Weil, 4/20)
The Hill: Medicaid Cuts Risk Worsening Black Maternal Health Crisis
Advocates are warning lawmakers that the proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will leave millions of pregnant Black women at a heightened risk of death, worsening the maternal mortality crisis and its racial disparities. Last month, the House budget resolution proposed up to $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid over a decade, which would also lead to cuts to Medicare. But advocates say Medicaid is a vital resource for cutting into the maternal mortality disparities. (Daniels, 4/20)
Modern Healthcare: UnitedHealth's Medicare Advantage Troubles Stoke Anxiety
UnitedHealth Group is treading through a rough 2025 already, potentially signaling broader trouble for health insurers that have already experienced a volatile stretch. UnitedHealth Group, Humana and CVS Health, which all own major health insurance operations, have poured money into growing their historically lucrative Medicare Advantage businesses over decades. But the sector has faced turbulence in recent years as Medicare Advantage members seek more costly care and insurers navigate lower federal reimbursement and tighter regulatory oversight. (Berryman, 4/18)
