FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

June 27, 2023

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jack Cardinal, (781) 960-5208, jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org  

(BOSTON, MA) — On Tuesday, Community Catalyst, United States of Care and 15 other health advocacy organizations filed an amicus brief with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra to protect coverage of preventive services without out-of-pocket cost. Community Catalyst executive director Emily Stewart and United States of Care CEO and co-founder Natalie Davis released the following statement:

“At a time when we should be focused on continuing coverage for the millions of people impacted by the unwinding of the Public Health Emergency, we are instead fighting yet another baseless legal battle that threatens preventive care and coverage for millions more,” said Emily Stewart, Executive Director of Community Catalyst. “At risk are critical protections for a range of preventive services which could impact access to no-copay cancer screenings, pre- and postnatal care, as well as other preventive care like PrEP. The loss of these benefits would disproportionately impact the financial health and wellbeing of Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and other systemically-excluded communities who already face discriminatory barriers to affordable health coverage and care. We are proud to work alongside our national, state and community partners to protect vital coverage and continue the march until everyone has equitable access to the care they want and need to be healthy.”

“Judge Reed O’Connor’s decision in Braidwood v. Becerra puts access to life-saving preventive services without out-of-pocket cost at risk for over 151 million Americans. The ripple effect of this ruling will no doubt impact every person in this country, taking away life saving screenings and preventive care,” said United States of Care CEO and co-founder Natalie Davis. “By filing this amicus brief with some of our closest partners across the country, United States of Care is highlighting just how devastating this decision is for access to affordable, dependable health care – and how important it is for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn this ruling and reinstate protections for preventive services without out-of-pocket cost.”

The full list of co-amicus organizations that filed alongside Community Catalyst span the health care advocacy field, representing state consumer health advocates, partners focused on health equity and coverage, as well as national groups that have fought for years to pass and uphold protections guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act. Below is the full list of co-amicus signers.

  • ACA Consumer Advocacy
  • AcademyHealth
  • Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
  • Committee to Protect Health Care
  • Consumers for Affordable Health Care
  • Health Care Voices
  • Michigan League for Public Policy
  • National Partnership for Women and Families
  • New Day Nevada
  • Pennsylvania Health Access Network
  • Protect our Care, a fiscally sponsored project of the New Venture Fund
  • Shriver Center on Poverty Law
  • United States of Care
  • Utah Health Policy Project
  • West Virginians for Affordable Health Care
  • Young Invincibles

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About Community Catalyst:    

Community Catalyst is a leading non-profit national health advocacy organization dedicated to advancing a movement for race equity and health justice. We partner with local, state and national advocates to leverage and build power so all people can influence decisions that affect their health. Health systems will not be accountable to people without a fully engaged and organized community voice. That’s why we work every day to ensure people’s interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and health care are made: in communities, state houses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit http://www.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @CommCatHealth.