American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra.
The Supreme Court reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) reimbursement rates for 340B hospitals under the Medicare statute. The Court found that HHS acted unlawfully by varying reimbursement rates without conducting a survey of hospitals' acquisition costs. The decision reversed the D.C. Circuit's ruling and remanded the case.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra.
The Court held that the statute does not preclude judicial review of HHS's reimbursement rates and that HHS's 2018 and 2019 rates for 340B hospitals were unlawful.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Judicial Review is relevant to American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra
The Court held that the statute does not preclude judicial review of HHS's reimbursement rates, affirming the power of courts to review and invalidate government action.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The statute does not preclude judicial review of HHS's reimbursement rates. Judicial review of final agency action is traditionally available unless 'a statute's language or structure' precludes it.
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Why Administrative Law is relevant to American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra
The case involves the limits of agency authority, specifically whether HHS acted within its statutory authority in setting reimbursement rates.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The District Court rejected HHS's argument that the statute precluded judicial review, concluded that HHS had acted outside its statutory authority, and remanded the case to HHS to consider an appropriate remedy.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra that support the summary and concepts above.
The statute does not preclude judicial review of HHS's reimbursement rates.
HHS acted unlawfully by reducing the reimbursement rates for 340B hospitals.
HHS's interpretation would make little sense given the statute's overall structure.
