Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
High Court Rejects Challenge To Health Law's Cost-Cutting Panel
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up the latest lawsuit against Obamacare, this time a challenge to a board that critics label a 鈥渄eath panel.鈥 The case, Coons v. Lew, contested the constitutionality of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, among other complaints against Obamacare. The IPAB is designed to limit spending growth in Medicare, but the challengers say that it will result in limiting care for seniors. (Haberkorn, 3/30)
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a new challenge to President Barack Obama's healthcare law that took aim at a bureaucratic board labeled by some Republicans as a "death panel" because it was designed to cut Medicare costs. The high court left intact a ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that threw out the lawsuit. (Hurley, 3/30)
The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear a second case challenging the Affordable Care Act, the court announced Monday. But those behind the case say the refusal won't mark the end of their fight. The court on Monday announced that it would not hear Coons v. Lew, a case taking issue with the new healthcare law's independent payment advisory board (IPAB) 鈥 a body critics have denounced as a 鈥渄eath panel.鈥 (Schencker, 3/30)
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to weigh in on a Republican-backed challenge to a controversial Medicare cost-cutting board authorized by the health care law, leaving congressional repeal efforts as opponents鈥 best chance for action. Justices denied the Goldwater Institute鈥檚 petition for review of an appeals court dismissal of a challenge to the constitutionality of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB. (Attias, 3/30)
The Supreme Court will, however, decide if a beneficiary has to reimburse a health insurance company for care received after winning money in a lawsuit -
The Supreme Court announced Monday it would hear the case of Montanile v. Board of Trustees of the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan. The case asks, if a plan's beneficiary wins money in court for an injury but then spends it, should the beneficiary still have to reimburse his or her insurance plan for medical expenses it paid? It didn't take long for Robert Montanile to spend the $500,000 he won in a lawsuit against the drunk driver who slammed into his vehicle in 2008. He had ongoing medical expenses, lawyers' fees and a young daughter. (Schencker, 3/30)
