US Owes Native American Tribes For Health Care Costs, Supreme Court Rules
Funds should be allocated to cover expenses that tribes take on when spending money from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers, the court determined. The government immediately called on Congress to guarantee such funding, estimated to be between $800 million and $2 billion annually, going forward.
Reuters:
US Must Pay More Of Native American Tribes' Healthcare Costs, Supreme Court Rules
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday held that the federal government has been under-funding Native American tribes that administer their own healthcare programs for 30 years and must pay potentially hundreds of millions more going forward. In its 5-4 ruling, the court found that federal law requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to pay the overhead costs that tribes incur when spending money from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers. The ruling is a victory for the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona and the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming, which had each sued over the funding. (Pierson, 6/6)
WyoFile:
Northern Arapaho Hail Health Care Victory Upholding Sovereignty
Northern Arapaho tribal leaders Thursday celebrated a win in the U.S. Supreme Court in a lawsuit that sought a $1.5 million federal reimbursement for health care costs. “Indian Country is often forgotten and left out when it comes to allocation of health care dollars,” said Lee Spoonhunter, a member of the Northern Arapaho Business Council. “We’re able to assess our peoples’ problems,” he said, and use IHS funding “to provide a better system of care.” (Thuermer Jr., 6/7)
Deseret News:
Supreme Court Ruling On Tribal Health Care Puts Gorsuch With Liberals
Former President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court within weeks of taking office in 2017. It was a triumphant moment for Trump and for his supporters, many of whom voted for him due to an interest in shifting the ideological balance of the court. Over the past seven years, Gorsuch has helped deliver a number of big wins for the conservative movement. ... But Gorsuch has also broken with the conservative pack somewhat regularly, often alongside Chief Justice John Roberts. He’s written or joined opinions protecting gay and transgender workers, protecting Native American tribal sovereignty and protecting a prisoner from additional jail time. (Dallas, 6/6)
A second case involved asbestos and bankruptcy —
Courthouse News Service:
Supreme Court Lets Insurer Object To Asbestos Bankruptcy Plan
In a ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court expanded who can object to bankruptcy settlements, giving an insurance company a say in how to settle asbestos injury claims. The unanimous ruling said Truck Insurance Exchange could object to a construction company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan. ... Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Truck will have to pay the vast majority of its liability claims — up to $500,000 per claim for thousands of asbestos-injury claims. The current plan, Sotomayor said, would leave Truck alone in carrying that financial burden. (Reichmann, 6/6)
Newsweek:
Alito Sits Out Unanimous Supreme Court Decision
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sat out of a unanimous decision this week in a case involving insurance claims and bankruptcy. On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum Co., Inc., et al., which focused on bankruptcy claims amid asbestos-related lawsuits. Alito did not provide a reason for his decision to sit out of the case. (Impelli, 6/6)
