Statement attributable to:
Ryan D. Mire, MD, FACP
President, ACP
WASHINGTON September 9, 2022 – The American College of Physicians (ACP) is extremely concerned about the threat to patient access to health care services posed by the recent decision in the case of Kelley v. Becerra. The decision declares that coverage for preventive health care services guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional, potentially throwing those protections into jeopardy. The ACA’s requirement that evidence-based preventive services be covered without cost sharing is a historic achievement for access to health care in this country. Patients without adequate health insurance live sicker and die younger. A cornerstone of helping our patients live healthier, longer lives is ensuring that they are able to access care that can prevent illness, not just treating them after they have already developed a medical condition.
Allowing employers to selectively opt-out of providing evidence-based preventive and screening services would undermine essential consumer protections established by the ACA. If this ruling stands, it could lead to under-insurance, poorer health outcomes and potentially discriminatory health benefit packages. ACP will continue to advocate for improving access to health care for all.
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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 160,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org