Judge rejects bid by 20 AGs to block new ACA enrollment rules
Twenty state attorneys general, all Democrats, sued to delay a rule by President Donald Trump’s administration that shortened the open enrollment window for health plans sold on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange and added criteria for subsidy eligibility.
A U.S. District Court Judge in Massachusetts, Nathaniel Gorton, denied the injunction this week, ruling that the states lacked standing. Per the ruling, Gorton said the states were not likely to face extra costs in relation to the rule; thus, a preliminary injunction was not allowed under the law.
The Trump administration argues that millions of people have been getting signed up without their knowledge, in part from an ongoing battle with unscrupulous brokers who sign up for plans, something on which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has attempted to crack down over the last couple of years.
However, the administration’s reduced window for enrollment and elimination of certain protections, such as a rule that allows for late enrollment with a new diagnosis, would ultimately impact all Americans seeking insurance through the federal government’s exchange.
The 20 states argued the change would make it difficult for eligible citizens to get the insurance they are allowed, given the new barriers. As important to note, Gorton did not disagree. He simply ruled that he cannot halt the new regulation until it has time to make its way through the courts.
However, he expressed skepticism of the claim that 1.8 million people would lose their health insurance, citing that as a high-end estimate. The true number of residents impacted in each state, Gorton ruled, is unknown.
“Finally, to the extent plaintiffs rely upon alleged health-related harms that may befall uninsured individuals in support of their motion for injunctive relief, such reliance is misplaced,” Gorton wrote. “When assessing irreparable harm for the purposes of a preliminary injunction, the only relevant harms are those which affect the parties directly.”
New enrollment begins in November
The attorneys general initially brought the lawsuit in July. Without tangible proof the states would suffer “irreparable harm,” their request to have it paused or overturned was denied.
While the new Trump administration rules are in effect, the open enrollment period for ACA medical plans does not begin until November, and the impact won’t be felt until 2026.
The attorneys general are free to file an appeal with a higher court or file a new lawsuit once the outcome is more quantifiable, sometime early next year.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.