The Courts

A federal judge on Monday (Aug. 17) temporarily blocked a Trump administration rule to roll back protections for transgender individuals a day before it was slated to take effect.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday (Aug. 14) ruled that, in light of the Supreme Court’s take on Affordable Care Act’s risk corridor payments, the government owes insurers money for cost-sharing reduction payments from 2017 -- but how much the government owes for 2018 payments needs to take into account the insurers’ practice of silver-loading, and the plans will have to make their case for damages before a lower court.

Senate Democrats are once again calling on the administration to open healthcare.gov to any consumers seeking health coverage during the pandemic and are also asking President Donald Trump to let seniors enroll in Medicare Part B during the public health emergency.

The Fifth Circuit Court in a unanimous decision Friday (July 31) reversed a lower court’s ruling that found the United States violated the non-delegation doctrine by requiring states account for the Affordable Care Act’s insurance fee when setting their Medicaid managed care capitated rates.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Wednesday (July 29) it is unlikely the Supreme Court will set oral arguments in the GOP challenge to the Affordable Care Act prior to the Nov. 3 elections, but he added the case, and health care in general, will still be a major campaign issue. Becerra, who is spearheading the Democratic attorneys general defense of the ACA, made the comments in a call discussing the reply briefs that the Democratic AGs -- and the Democratic-led House of Representatives -- filed Wednesday.

The American Hospital Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges will seek a rehearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia of their lawsuit over Medicare pay cuts for outpatient clinic visits at certain off-campus hospital facilities.

Most insurers participating in two class action suits against the government over the Affordable Care Act’s temporary risk corridors problem have settled with the Department of Justice and the classes are slated to get more than $3.7 billion in payments owed for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 benefit years.

The DC federal appeals court Friday (July 17) ruled 2-1 in favor of the Trump administration’s short-term plan rule, upholding a district court ruling that found the administration did not overstep its authority in issuing the rule that allows the plans to run for up to three years.

Several insurers participating in the class action over the Affordable Care Act’s risk corridor program are still disputing the amounts owed and claim the government’s attempt to reduce the payments due to debt still owed for other reasons is illegal, according to a brief filed at the Court of Federal Claims Friday (July 10).