Ann Arbor Times

The Supreme Court has upheld a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that ensures certain preventive health care services remain available to patients at no cost, provided they meet criteria set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This decision came from the case Kennedy v. Braidwood Management.

University of Michigan experts have weighed in on the implications of this ruling. Nicholas Bagley, a law professor, highlighted that "the task force’s recommendations are binding," and noted the constitutional nature of this arrangement due to the control exercised by the Health and Human Services Secretary over these recommendations.

A. Mark Fendrick, an internal medicine professor, emphasized the importance of preventive care in reducing chronic disease burdens. He stated that "the Supreme Court’s decision to preserve" ACA's requirement for insurance plans to cover certain preventive services without cost is beneficial for patients and clinicians alike.

Minal Patel, a health behavior professor, remarked on how crucial prevention is for managing chronic illnesses effectively. She said, "Prevention isn’t a luxury—it’s how we help people live out what’s possible in their lives."

Diane Harper, a family medicine professor, stressed the need for unbiased scientific information from groups like USPSTF to guide clinical practices. Geoffrey Hoffman from the School of Nursing advocated for policies that enhance access to fall prevention screenings.

Anna Lok and Elliot Tapper discussed hepatitis C screening as a vital preventive service under USPSTF recommendations. They emphasized supporting current guidelines with scientific evidence.

David Hutton and Kao-Ping Chua also contributed insights into resource allocation for health policies and HIV prevention efforts respectively.

Ella Kazerooni underscored lung cancer screening's role in preventing deaths from lung cancer through low-dose CT scans, stating that today's ruling allows continued access without copays required by private insurance.