Court Delays ACA Case Proceedings Until Trump Takes Office

A federal appeals court has granted a request by House Republicans to delay the Obama administration’s appeal of a key Affordable Care Act (ACA) ruling until after President-elect Donald Trump has taken office.

In 2014, the House of Representatives filed a lawsuit contending that the executive branch unlawfully compensated insurers participating in ACA health insurance exchanges. In May, US District Judge Rosemary Collyer ruled in the House’s favor that it is the constitutional role of the legislative branch to appropriate funding for the 2010 law, but stipulated that the court would stay its injunction pending appeal.

Such efforts by the Obama administration to expeditiously appeal the decision were denied by Ms Collyer, and the suit was scheduled to proceed in January 2017 prior to the inauguration of Mr Trump. However, House Republicans filed a request in November to delay the lawsuit until the new administration has taken charge.

“The relatively short stay… would provide the incoming president and his appointed officials time to decide whether withdrawal or settlement of the appeal is warranted,” they wrote in the request. “In light of public statements by the president-elect and his campaign, there is at least a significant possibility of a meaningful change in policy in the new administration that could either obviate the need for resolution of this appeal or affect the nature and scope of the issues presented for review.”

On December 5, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the House’s request, and directed the parties to file by February 21, 2017. At that time, it would be up to the Trump administration to continue proceedings or move to drop the appeal. —Dave Muoio