OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general in a legislative effort to protect Americans' access to lifesaving preventive health care. Today's amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) supports the Biden administration's defense of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) preventive care mandate. This mandate requires private insurers to provide certain preventive services to consumers free of charge, such as cardiovascular disease interventions, lung, breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings, and dental and vision screenings for infants and young children. It is required to be applied.
In March 2023, a Texas district court ruled that requiring private insurance companies to cover certain preventive services listed above is unconstitutional. The Fifth Circuit partially upheld this ruling in June 2024, and a decision on whether to hear the case is currently pending at SCOTUS.
“Preventive health care not only saves lives, but also addresses the root causes of disease and leads to a healthier future for millions of Americans across the country,” said Attorney General Bonta. “That's why today, I join my fellow attorneys general in asking the Supreme Court to fully reinstate the ACA's preventive care mandate. By prioritizing prevention, we will build a more just and effective health care system. We can protect the health and well-being of our state's residents.”
Since the ACA became law, millions of Americans have gained access to lifesaving preventive medicines and services. Numerous studies have found that since the ACA's preventive services provisions were enacted, the number of individuals using services such as blood pressure tests, cholesterol tests, and influenza shots has increased significantly.
In today's court brief, the Coalition of Attorneys General listed the important public health benefits of the ACA's preventive care mandate:
Access to critical health services such as testing, screening, and interventions that can prevent avoidable illnesses and stop the spread of infectious diseases. Lower economic barriers and improve economic and health outcomes for marginalized communities traditionally underserved by the health care system, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and people of color. Reduce financial and other burdens on state public health systems and free those systems to address other serious public health issues. By focusing on prevention rather than reaction, the state's health infrastructure can focus more on improving the health of its population and preventing the onset of disease.
Today's court brief includes Attorney General Bonta with the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Minnesota. , the attorneys general of Nevada, New Jersey, and New Mexico participated. New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A copy of today's court brief can be found here.
