Ruling blocking Obamacare's preventative care mandate will 'severely set back' fight against cancer, HIV

Preventative care may be more difficult to obtain after a federal judge blocked an Obamacare mandate that required insurance companies to offer services such as cancer screenings and pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV (PrEP). 

Kristefer Stojanovski, a Tulane University epidemiologist who studies health policy and the impact of structural influences on LGBTQ+ health, said the ruling "will severely set back our national goals in fighting cancer, and diabetes and ending the HIV epidemic."

"Insurance companies are still able to offer these services, voluntarily, but are currently no longer required to do so," Stojanovski said. "As of now, we will have to wait and see how the appeals process unfolds, and the case may ultimately end up before the US Supreme Court. In the meantime, this ruling will cause anxiety for the millions of Americans who rely on preventative services to keep themselves, and their families healthy.”

The ruling could affect more than 150 million Americans who have private health insurance that covers preventive services under the Affordable Care Act. Screenings for depression and and diabetes also fall into the category of preventative care.

The ruling comes after a group of Texas business owners argued that the mandates made them complicit in "facilitating homosexual behavior, drug use, and sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman." Stojanovski said this is "logical fallacy." 

"In no way shape or form has any research shown that HIV and STI preventative services facilitate homosexual behavior, drug use, or sexual activity outside of marriage," Stojanovski said. "Rather than simply not utilize the services or engage in the behaviors they abhor, the Plaintiffs sued and have now thrown into jeopardy the millions of Americans' ability to protect themselves against HIV and STIs."

Stojanovski is available to speak on this ruling and its ramifications. He has also written about challenges to the preventative care mandate in the past. 

For interviews, contact Tulane University assistant director of public relations Andrew Yawn at ayawn@tulane.edu.