Attorney General Kwame Raoul is spearheading a coalition of 24 state attorneys general to keep important healthcare protections in place for millions across the nation. According to a press release from the Illinois Attorney General's office, the coalition has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, pressing the justices to safeguard a key Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision that ensures access to preventive care at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. This provision includes coverage for critical services like cancer screenings and vaccinations.
The move comes in response to a lower court decision that obstructs the federal government from enforcing these protective measures. If this ruling stands, it would create a significant gap in health coverage that states are ill-equipped to fill since federal law limits their ability to regulate certain insurance plans. "All patients in Illinois and across the country deserve continued access to what are often lifesaving, preventive health services," Raoul stated.
In the case of Becerra v. Braidwood Management Inc., the group of attorneys general is requesting that the Supreme Court grant certiorari and reverse the district court's decision. This decision could jeopardize health coverage for a vast number of Americans, with the brief noting that nearly 151.6 million people were enrolled in private insurance plans covering preventive services at no cost by 2020, a significant increase from roughly 76 million in the four years following the ACA's passage. The coalition argues that state-level mandates without federal enforcement are less effective, creating a less unified healthcare policy landscape.
Moreover, the coalition asserts that since the ACA's inception in 2010, improved access to preventive services has markedly bettered public health outcomes while also reducing health care disparities related to socioeconomics, race, and ethnicity. The attorneys general emphasize the importance of these services, especially for women who have gained better access to contraceptives among other preventive care options. Alongside Raoul, the attorneys general of states such as California, New York, and 21 others have joined in filing the brief, collectively striving to maintain a health care system that can continue to save lives and improve health standards for all.
