Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is constitutional within its Kennedy v. Braidwood ruling.
The case focused on USPSTF, an independent panel of experts within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that provides evidence-based recommendations on preventive medical services. The Supreme Court ruled that the USPSTF members are appointed by the secretary of HHS and can be removed at any time, and any recommendations must be reviewed by the secretary.
The court’s decision upholds the care provisions in the Affordable Care Act that provide no-cost access to preventive services. This safeguards coverage to services, including colorectal cancer screening, for millions of Americans. However, the long-term impacts of coverage within the ruling are yet to be determined. This is an area of concern that we will continue to evaluate.
Currently, the ruling is positive news for patient care protections and keeps preventive services intact for the time being. We applaud the court’s decision to protect access to life-saving services for CRC and hepatitis C.
The ruling reiterates the authority that HHS has over the task force and its decisions, and we remain vigilant considering the secretary’s recent actions to other expert panels. We will continue to work with our coalition partners and champions to ensure patients continue to have coverage of essential preventive screenings.
