The Supreme Court Is Coming for Your Free Healthcare
A little-known case could gut the ACA’s preventive care protections, forcing millions to pay for screenings, vaccines, and medications.
You could soon pay out of pocket for cancer screenings, vaccines, and preventive medications. A little-known Supreme Court case, Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc., could strip away free preventive healthcare protections for 183 million Americans. If the Court rules against the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance companies will no longer be required to cover screenings, immunizations, and medications like PrEP without cost-sharing.
The result? Higher healthcare costs, more undiagnosed diseases, and millions of Americans skipping life-saving care. This case hasn’t gotten the media attention it deserves, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. A ruling is expected this summer, and the outcome could reshape healthcare access in America for decades to come.
What Is This Supreme Court Case About?
Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc., centers on a challenge to one of the ACA's most effective parts: the requirement that insurance plans cover preventive services at no cost to patients.
This policy has allowed millions of Americans to receive:
Free cancer screenings (breast, cervical, colorectal, and more)
Free vaccines (flu, COVID-19, HPV, etc.)
Free preventive medications (PrEP for HIV prevention, statins, and others)
Routine checkups and screenings that catch diseases early
The plaintiffs in this case argue that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the body that recommends which services should be covered, was not properly appointed under the Constitution. They claim that because the Senate didn’t confirm its members, its recommendations shouldn’t be binding. If the Court accepts this argument, any service recommended after 2010 could lose guaranteed no-cost coverage.
Another argument in the case focuses on religious freedom. The plaintiffs, including a Christian-owned business, claim that being required to cover PrEP violates their religious beliefs. They argue that covering the medication makes them complicit in behaviors they morally oppose, even though HIV does not discriminate, and PrEP is recommended for people of all backgrounds.
If the Court sides with them, the ruling could open the door for businesses and insurers to refuse coverage for other services, including birth control, HPV vaccines, and even certain cancer screenings.
To see our analysis of the shakeups in the federal health agencies that could make this decision even more impactful, see this article:
What Could You Lose If the Supreme Court Guts Preventive Care?
This case isn’t just about politics. It’s about your health and the health of your loved ones. If the Supreme Court rules against the ACA’s preventive care protections, insurance companies will no longer have to cover some of the most basic, life-saving screenings and medications for free.
That means:
Colonoscopies could cost hundreds of dollars, leading to more cases of undiagnosed colon cancer
Mammograms may no longer be free, making it harder for women to detect breast cancer early
Pap smears could come with a price tag, increasing the risk of undiagnosed cervical cancer
Statins—used by millions to prevent heart attacks—may no longer be covered
HIV prevention medication (PrEP) could become unaffordable, increasing infection rates
Routine blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screenings could become costly, causing more people to delay care
I know firsthand what happens when colon disease isn’t caught early. My family has lived it. When caught early, colon cancer is one of the most treatable. The idea that a Supreme Court ruling could make screenings harder to access for millions is terrifying.
Heart disease remains the #1 killer in America. Without no-cost preventive care, cholesterol-lowering medications like statins could become out of reach for many—leading to more heart attacks, strokes, and premature deaths.
This isn’t just about one group—it affects everyone. If you’re a woman, you could lose coverage for breast exams and reproductive health screenings. You might have to pay for your cholesterol meds if you have a heart condition. If you’re at risk for cancer, your screenings could get more expensive. No one is untouched.
Overnight, 183 million Americans—more than half the country — could lose no-cost preventive healthcare. For some, this could mean the difference between catching a disease early or too late.
How the Supreme Court Might Rule And What Comes Next
Given the Court’s 6-3 conservative majority, legal experts expect a ruling that weakens or eliminates the ACA’s preventive care protections. The Court could take different approaches:
🔴 Full Repeal of No-Cost Preventive Care – The worst-case scenario, where all USPSTF-recommended services lose mandatory free coverage. Insurers would no longer have to cover cancer screenings, vaccines, or preventive medications without cost-sharing.
🟠 Rolling Back Services Added After 2010 – A narrower ruling that guts newer preventive care protections while keeping older ones intact. Services like PrEP, lung cancer screenings, and updated vaccine recommendations would likely be affected.
🟡 Expanding Religious Exemptions – The Court could allow businesses and insurers to opt out of covering services like PrEP and contraception based on religious objections. This would disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and people seeking reproductive healthcare.
A ruling is expected by June 2025, and unless states step in, 45 states and all U.S. territories will lose no-cost preventive healthcare protections overnight.
This is not inevitable. States can act, and Congress can respond if enough people speak out. But we have to act now.
For more coverage of important SCOTUS decisions expected this term, see our reporting here:
What We Can Do to Fight Back
This fight isn’t over. Here’s how we can take action:
Raise Awareness – The media isn’t covering this enough. Share this article, discuss this case, and ensure people understand what’s at stake.
Push for State-Level Protections – Only five states (California, Illinois, Connecticut, Alabama, and Minnesota) have laws protecting no-cost preventive care. More states need to act before it’s too late.
Vote Like Healthcare Depends on It Because It Does – Elections shape the Supreme Court. The same forces attacking the ACA today will be on the ballot in 2024 and beyond. Elect leaders who will protect healthcare access.
Support Healthcare Advocacy Groups – Groups like Protect Our Care, Kaiser Family Foundation, and Planned Parenthood are fighting to protect preventive care. Donate, volunteer, and amplify their work.
The Bottom Line
For over a decade, the ACA’s preventive care mandate has saved lives and lowered healthcare costs. The Supreme Court is poised to remove that protection from 183 million people.
This is not just a legal debate. This is about whether Americans must pay out of pocket for the care that keeps them healthy. It’s about whether an insurance company’s bottom line is more important than an early cancer diagnosis.
How many lives are worth sacrificing to pad insurance company profits? The Supreme Court is about to decide.
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Bibliography:
Reuters: "Top cases now before the US Supreme Court" (March 4, 2025).
AP News: "Supreme Court to weigh reinstating Obamacare care requirements struck down by lower court" (January 10, 2025).
Kaiser Family Foundation: "Explaining Litigation Challenging the ACA's Preventive Services Requirements: Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra" (May 15, 2023).
National Women's Law Center: "Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra: The Latest Affordable Care Act Attack Threatens Access to Preventive Health Care Services for Over 150 Million People" (July 11, 2024).
SCOTUSblog: “Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc.”
Supreme Court.gov: Docket for 24-316
Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University: “A Public Health Amicus Brief Highlights the Harm if the Supreme Court Invalidates a Key Provision of the Affordable Care Act” (February 27, 2025)
Health Affairs: "Greater use of preventive services in U.S. health care could save lives at little or no cost" (September 10, 2010).
American Journal of Public Health: "Health Insurance and Mortality in US Adults" (2009).
Vox: "A new Supreme Court case seeks to make it harder to get screened for cancer" (January 14, 2025).
Reuters: "Biden administration proposes free over-the-counter birth control" (October 21, 2024).
Politico: "Biden administration scraps rules to expand birth control access" (December 24, 2024).
How many justices have been bought?
Melt those phone lines, we DESERVE the care and screenings we have PAID for. I know the Wealthy cowards want us to either die or grovel to serve them but we won't go down without taking a few with us. These repugnant rich thieves complain they "can't find enough qualified candidates" and "nobody wants to work anymore"?? Wait until most of us are DEAD from their greed and stupidity. Starve in your bunkers and penthouses