American College of Radiology ‘deeply concerned’ by ruling striking down key ACA provision
The American College of Radiology said Monday that it is “deeply concerned” by a recent ruling, which could strike down a key piece of the Affordable Care Act.
A Texas district court judge on Thursday, March 30, declared an ACA provision—requiring insurers to cover preventative care services with no patient cost-sharing—unconstitutional. The Department of Justice quickly filed an appeal of the decision on Friday. But physician groups are sounding the alarm in the meantime.
Currently, law requires insurers to provide no-cost coverage for screening services endorsed by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, among other such entities.
“If the link between the ACA and USPSTF recommendations is dropped, the judge’s ruling will have major public health ramifications across a broad range of preventative services,” the American College of Radiology said in a news update published on Monday, April 3. “If not overturned by appeal, this decision will have a significant negative impact on patients’ access to lifesaving cancer screening services.”
The ruling applies to all USPSTF recommendations issued on or after March 23, 2010, which was the day President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, ACR noted. This would include the task force’s December 2013 endorsement of regular lung cancer screening, with CT-based imaging of the colon likely also impacted.
“The effects of co-pays and deductibles would severely impact individuals most at risk and with the least ability to pay, including minorities and those in underserved areas,” the college said in its update. “The ACR and other stakeholders are hopeful the ruling will not be implemented during what could be a lengthy appeal process,” it added later.
Other provider groups such as the American Medical Association also voiced concern about the “deeply flawed” court ruling. Millions of patients could stand to lose access to preventative healthcare services. Patient advocacy groups including the American Lung Association and Susan G. Komen similarly blasted the decision on March 30, while insurer lobbying group AHIP said it’s reviewing the ruling.
“Providing insurance coverage for screenings and interventions that prevent disease saves lives—period. Invalidating this provision jeopardizes tools physicians use every day to improve the health of our patients,” AMA President Jack Resneck Jr., MD, said in a statement.
Christian business owners first filed the suit, contending that the ACA requirement violates their religious rights. The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Advisory Board have more on the ramifications from U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Conner’s ruling.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.