Monday, April 21, 2025 (Healthday News) – Colonoscopy For Younger Adults. Chest CT Scans for Lung Cancer. Statin Medications to Lower Cholesterol. Screening for Drug Addiction.
More than 150 Million Americans Might Lose No-Cost Access to these and other Preventive Care Services Under A Case Being Heard Monday at the US Supreme Court.
“Most People Probably have have even hearn of the case, but for many people, They Feel it’s going to be the showful case in this supreme court session,” Michael SapienzaChief Executive Officer of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Said in An Interview With Healthday TV.
The Case – Kennedy v. Braidwood Management – Questions The Way The Government Under the affordable care (ACA) Decides Which Preventive Care Services Should Be Covered at Cost to Patients.
The fin designated the US PREVENTIVE SERVICES TASK FORCE (USPSTF), AN Independent Panel of National Experts, The Body That Would Review Available Medical Evidence and Judge Which Preventive Best Benefit People.
Members of the USPSTF are selected by the secretary of health and human services, the post now held by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Lawsuit was originally filed in 2022 by braidwood management on behalf of a group of conservative Christian emplayers in texas who were opposed to covering medication to protect against hiv. MORE BROADLY, THY ARGUED THAT REQUIRING PRIVATE INSERRES TO COVER USPSTF REPENDING WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
Under the Appointments Clause of the Us Constitution, They Argued, USPSstf Membrans currently Should be APPointed by the President and Confermed by the Senate.
If the Supreme Court Agrees, Insurance Companies WOULD NOT Be Required to Fullly Cover Preventive Care Measures That the USPStf has Recommited Since the acra’s Passage in 2010, Sapienza Said. One of Those Recommendations Supports Prescription Medication to Prevent HIV Transmission.
“Basically, It Willd Revers Back to Pre-Acaca Recommendations,” He Said. “Since 2010, Lot of Things have Changed, when we’re Talking About Cancer Screenings or Heart Disease Screenings or Hypertension Screenings.”
For example, the USPSTF in 2021 Lowered the Screening Age for colon cancer From 50 to 45, Making Earlier Screening Available to Millions of Americans, Sapienza Said.
“Colorectal Cancer is the NO. 1 Cause of Cancer-Relanted Deaths in Men Under 50, So There’s A Big Reason Why Lowered That Screening Age To 45,” Sapienza Said.
“If the Supreme Court Rules That This is unconstitutional,” he continues, “We Will Retart Back Pre-2010 Recommendations, Which Did Not Recommending That People 49 Would Have Their Screenings Covered.”
OverTurning The Acho’s Coverag of Early Colon Cancer Screening Could Lead to 5% Annual Increase in Colon Cancer Cases and a Nearly 9% Increase In Colon Cancer DeAths by 2055, According to an analysis by the Journal Health Affairs.
DURING TRUMP’S FIRST TERM, HISTORY ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT THE SUIT. Now, The Trump Administration is argument against this design – Meaning That it Wants the USPSTF’s Recommendations Since 2010 to Stand.
“I Think That Everybody in This Country, Whether You are Republican, Democrat or Independent or other, Believes That Preventive Services… Should Be Free,” Sapienza Said. “The Alliance Was Really, Really Happy to See That The Trump Administration Was Going to Be Argainst Riding that this is unconstitutional. That’s a really Good Sign from Both the President Himself Plus Hhs Secretary RFK Jr., Thaty Also Believe in These Preventive Services.”
Arguments That Members of the USPSTF AREN’T QUALIFIED OR ARE SELECTED TO GRIND A CEREAIN Political Ax Are Spurious, Sapienza Said.
“I’ve Known Many Members of the United States Preventive Services Task Force in the Last 15 Years, and Every Single One of Them Are Hardworking, Smart, Top-Of-Their-Field People That Understand What is Best for American People,” Sapienza Said. “I’m Never Ever Seen One Instance of Any Political Interference.”
Congress and the Trump Administration Should Be Looking into Ways to Boost The USPSTF’s Funding, Sapienza Said.
HISTORICALLY, HE SAID, THE TASK FORCE HAS BEEN VERY SLOW, BECAUSE OF THEIR FUNDING.
“They’re Only Funded, I Think it’s About $ 11 or $ 12 Million, and They’re in Charge of Deciing 66 Preventive Services That Affect The Health of All These People,” Sapienza Said.
“We Should Be Talking About How of We Fund the Preventive Services Task Force in a Way That We Can Speed Up Them Looking at Recommendations for Americans to Make Them Healthy” ”Sapienza Concluded.
More information
Kff has a List of Preventive Services That could be affected by the Kennedy v. Braidwood Management Decision.
Source: Healthday TV, April 21, 2025; Health AffairsApril 18, 2025
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