The cities of Baltimore, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday asked a federal court to overturn new regulations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that place tighter restrictions on Affordable Care Act enrollment.
Why it matters: Shortening the enrollment period and other changes would increase the uninsured and underinsured population and place more financial pressure on city-funded public health programs, the cities argue in their complaint.
A federal judge in Rhode Island on Tuesday ordered HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to halt his reorganization of federal health agencies, in response to a lawsuit brought by 19 Democratic-led states.
The big picture: Kennedy will not be able to shutter HHS divisions or undertake additional layoffs as the lawsuit moves through the courts.
Nearly 12 million people would lose their health insurance under President Trump's "big, beautiful bill," an erosion of the social safety net that would lead to more unmanaged chronic illnesses, higher medical debt and overcrowding of hospital emergency departments.
Why it matters: The changes in the Senate version of the bill could wipe out most of the health coverage gains made under the Affordable Care Act and slash state support for Medicaid and SNAP.
