The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed American Medical Association v. Becerra in its order list published on May 17. The case concerned whether the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and federal healthcare laws when it issued a 2019 rule that placed abortion-related restrictions on healthcare providers receiving federal funds under a Title X family planning program.
The court’s order dismissing the case stated that the Joe Biden (D) administration had filed a letter saying that it would enforce the challenged regulations outside the state of Maryland while it worked through the notice and comment rulemaking process to override them. The administration said it aimed to have a new final rule published early in the fall of 2021 so that it could go into effect before the 2022 Title X funding announcement.
The court also rejected requests from 19 states and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists to intervene to defend the rule.
The case was consolidated with Oregon v. Cochran and Cochran v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, which were also dismissed.
To learn more about the case or the Administrative Procedure Act see here:
Additional reading:
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Final rule
- Judicial review
- Arbitrary-or-capricious test
- Administrative state
Link to the U.S. Supreme Court order:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/051721zor_6537.pdf
Link to the docket for _AMA v. Becerra_:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/20-429.html
Link to the letter from the Biden administration:
Learn More
