Opinion: The future of preventive care depends on the Supreme Court’s reading of two words
If the law is struck down or any ambiguity left surrounding its validity, coverage of and access to preventive care like PrEP for HIV is at risk.
After 15 years, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has survived its share of challenges at the Supreme Court. On April 21, I attended the court’s first hearing in the latest of the series of ACA challenges, Kennedy v. Braidwood, which is focused on the ACA’s preventive services coverage requirement. I proudly represented 20 HIV advocacy organizations as amici in the case, urging the court to uphold the law, which requires payer coverage of items and services recommended with an A or B rating by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
I left the court that Monday feeling optimistic. By Friday, the justices issued an order requesting additional briefing, and my optimism grew slightly dimmer.
