Upcoming Action in Health Care Law

With federal district courts disagreeing on the constitutionality of the individual mandate to purchase health care coverage, appellate review will be closely watched. On May 10th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will hear oral arguments in the two cases that have come out differently in Virginia.  For more details, see SCOTUSblog.  The 6th Circuit will hear oral argument in the Michigan case between May 30 and June 10.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services plans to unveil  soon its eagerly anticipated rules for accountable care organizations (ACOs).  To many health care experts, ACOs provide an important path to the goal of higher-quality, lower-cost health care.  Critics wonder whether ACOs can succeed where HMOs have failed, and whether ACOs will use their market power to maintain high health care prices. [DO]