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Supreme Court Upholds Constitutionality of Preventive Services Task Force

The decision affirms that task force appointments comply with the Appointments Clause, guaranteeing continued no-cost coverage of critical preventive services under the ACA.

Overview

  • In Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, the court ruled 6–3 that USPSTF members are inferior officers lawfully appointed by the HHS secretary under the Constitution’s Appointments Clause.
  • The ruling secures insurers’ obligation to cover services graded A or B by the task force without cost sharing for Americans.
  • Justices confirmed that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can remove task force members at will and review or block their recommendations before they take effect.
  • Medical organizations, including the American College of Physicians, urged Congress and HHS to establish additional safeguards to protect the panel’s independence and scientific integrity.
  • The challenge began in 2020 with a suit by Christian-owned businesses over PrEP coverage and progressed through Judge Reed O’Connor’s 2023 invalidation and a 5th Circuit stay before the Supreme Court’s June 27 decision.