Legal Alert: DOL Issues Guidance on Preventive Care Court Order
Industry News
Thursday, May 11 2023
On March 30, 2023, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an order in Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra (“Braidwood”), vacating any and all actions taken by the DOL and other federal agencies (in the past and in the future) to implement or enforce provisions of the ACA that require group health plans and health insurance issuers (“plans and issuers”) to cover certain preventive care services with a rating of “A” or “B” by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (“USPSTF”) without cost sharing. The court found that Congress’ delegation of authority to the USPSTF under the ACA violates the Appointments Clause of Article II of the U.S. Constitution. The Braidwood decision does not impact coverage of preventive care services recommended by the Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”) for infants, children, adolescents or women, or immunizations for routine use in adults, adolescents or children recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (“ACIP”), which are also required to be covered without cost sharing.
In response, on April 13, 2023, the DOL and other federal agencies released FAQs that provide guidance regarding how the agencies are interpreting the decision. The FAQs strongly encourage plans and issuers to continue covering preventive services with an “A” or “B” rating by the USPSTF despite the Braidwood decision.
The guidance is summarized in the full alert.
In response, on April 13, 2023, the DOL and other federal agencies released FAQs that provide guidance regarding how the agencies are interpreting the decision. The FAQs strongly encourage plans and issuers to continue covering preventive services with an “A” or “B” rating by the USPSTF despite the Braidwood decision.
The guidance is summarized in the full alert.