Doctors for America; the cities of Baltimore, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio; and small business advocacy group Main Street Alliance are suing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz over the Affordable Care Act final rule released in June.
The lawsuit was filed July 1 in federal court in Maryland.
The rule, which goes into effect on Aug. 25, will cause at least 1.8 million Americans to lose ACA coverage and will result in higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs, the lawsuit says.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The ACA was enacted in 2010 as a way for individuals to enroll in affordable insurance policies. Subsidies have allowed younger and healthier individuals to enroll, improving the risk pool and lowering premiums for everyone, the lawsuit said.
The ACA also guarantees that individuals are not denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
The effect of the final rule is contrary to the legislation, the lawsuit said.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to vacate parts of the rule.
THE LARGER TREND
The final rule is a continuation of the Trump administration's efforts to undermine the ACA, the lawsuit said.
During the previous Trump administration, CMS and HHS proposals deterred consumers from enrolling. The court at that time vacated and remanded portions of the rule.
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org