Chicago – June 29, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a crucial part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Friday, ensuring that around 150 million Americans will continue to receive free preventive services. The decision was made with a 6-3 vote, where Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, joined the court’s three liberal justices in support of the ACA.
The court’s ruling allows the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a 16-member group that determines which preventive services are covered for free under the ACA, to keep making these decisions. The case centered on a lawsuit challenging the appointment process for task force members. While two lower courts had previously found the appointments unconstitutional, the Supreme Court disagreed, siding with the government.
Justice Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, emphasized that the Department of Health and Human Services has the authority to appoint members to the task force. This decision maintains important benefits for millions of Americans, including coverage for preventive services like HIV-related treatments.
One key issue in the case involved pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication used to prevent HIV. The ACA ensures that PrEP, along with related services like HIV testing and doctor visits, is available for free, preventing high out-of-pocket costs. If the court had ruled against the ACA, access to these essential services could have been severely impacted.
