Supreme Court reject challenge to free preventive care, bolsters rfk jr's power

[lostincalifornia]

"Decision upholds key ACA provision, establishes that expert task force is under authority of health secretary

The Supreme Court upheld a key Affordable Care Act provision requiring health insurers to cover certain recommended preventive services cost-free. The decision delivers a victory to health advocates, because services including cancer screenings, statins, and HIV prevention drugs called PrEP will continue to be available at no cost to many Americans.

But the decision also ratifies a strong role for the Health and Human Services secretary in overseeing a key expert panel that has long evaluated preventive services, including removing members and modifying its rulings. That means Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could have more latitude to reshape what’s covered.

The court’s 6-3 decision in the case, Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, was written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by President Trump. It concerns the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The ruling could challenge the task force’s independence and potentially its credibility, health experts told STAT.

“It’s a win for preventive care access but there is a cost,” said Josh Salomon, a professor of health policy at Stanford University School of Medicine. “The concern is that the task force really needs to be credible and independent in order to be able to rely on the recommendations. That’s the value of the task force.”

https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/27/supreme-court-decision-braidwood-rfk-jr-more-power-over-obamacare-coverage-free-preventive-services/

What a terrible tangled web we weave. Everything depends on the credibility of who is in charge, and if it is a conspiracy challenged, anti-vaccine kook, "we have a problem Houston"

[jimmy the one]

1. A win for the day, I guess

...... 'The court's 6-3 decision in the case'

Quelle surprise (truly this time) a 6-3 decision where Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissented.
Did not get into the weeds much why decision simultaneously gave rfk more powers, but I still take it as a win for the day. What does that make it, one for eight so far?