Overview

• The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the Department of Health and Human Services, affirming its interpretation of Medicare's disproportionate-share payment formula.
• The decision restricts reimbursement calculations to patients who received monthly SSI benefits, rather than all SSI-enrolled patients.
• Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the majority opinion, emphasizing adherence to the statutory text over broader legislative intent.
• Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, warning the ruling could deprive hospitals serving low-income communities of critical funding.
• The ruling affects over $4 billion in payments from 2006–2009 and raises concerns about future funding for hospitals treating disproportionately poor populations.