Fact Check: Supreme Court Upholds ACA Task Force's No-Cost Preventive Care Services
What We Know
On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a significant provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that mandates insurance companies to provide certain preventive services at no cost to patients. This ruling affects approximately 150 million Americans who rely on these services, which include critical health screenings and treatments, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention (NPR, Reuters). The decision was reached with a 6-3 vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh joining the three liberal justices in the majority (New York Times).
The case centered around the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which is responsible for determining which preventive services should be covered without cost-sharing. The Supreme Court rejected lower court rulings that deemed the task force's appointment process unconstitutional, affirming that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the authority to appoint task force members (CBS News, AHA).
Analysis
The Supreme Court's ruling is pivotal for maintaining the ACA's preventive care provisions, which have been in effect since the law's inception over a decade ago. Justice Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, emphasized that the task force members are supervised by the HHS Secretary, who is accountable to the President, thereby preserving the constitutional chain of command (NPR). This clarification was crucial in countering the argument that the task force's members should be appointed directly by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
The case was brought forward by parties with religious objections to the PrEP mandate, arguing that it contradicted their beliefs by promoting behaviors they found objectionable (NPR). Critics of the lawsuit pointed out that the ruling was essential to protect access to vital health services that could otherwise become prohibitively expensive without ACA coverage. The ruling is expected to safeguard not only PrEP but also other preventive services like cancer screenings and immunizations (Reuters, AHA).
The sources used in this analysis are credible and provide a comprehensive overview of the Supreme Court's decision and its implications. NPR and The New York Times are well-respected news organizations known for their in-depth reporting, while Reuters is recognized for its factual and unbiased news coverage. CBS News and the American Hospital Association (AHA) also provide reliable information regarding health policy and legal matters.
Conclusion
The claim that the Supreme Court upheld the ACA task force's no-cost preventive care services is True. The Court's decision ensures that millions of Americans will continue to receive essential preventive health services without additional costs, thereby reinforcing the ACA's role in expanding healthcare access.
Sources
- Supreme Court upholds key Obamacare measure on preventive care
- PDF Supreme Court of The United States
- US Supreme Court preserves key element of Obamacare
- Supreme Court Upholds Preventive Care Provision in Affordable Care Act
- Supreme Font | dafont.com
- Supreme Court upholds federal health task force that sets no-cost preventive services
- Supreme Court upholds ACA provision establishing Preventive Services Task Force
