On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Kennedy v. Braidwood Management—a case that could reshape preventive health care access for millions, including many in the LGBTQ community. What is at stake, you ask? The Affordable Care Act’s mandate says insurers cover preventive services like PrEP, HIV testing, and cancer screenings at no cost. The case began with a Texas group of Christian employers who object to covering PrEP on religious grounds.
But it’s now grown into a broad challenge to the very foundation of the ACA’s preventive care protections. At the center is the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, whose expert recommendations determine what services insurers must cover. Plaintiffs argue it’s unconstitutional because its members aren’t confirmed by the Senate. José Abrigo of Lambda Legal calls the case “about whether science or politics will guide our nation’s public health policy.”
He warns, “Allowing ideological or religious objections to override scientific consensus would set a dangerous precedent.” The lawsuit is led by Jonathan Mitchell, the same legal strategist behind Texas’s extreme abortion ban. LGBTQ advocates say his long game is to dismantle civil rights protections—including those that benefit queer Americans. According to Jeremiah Johnson of PrEP4All, “Over 150 million people could suddenly have to pay for care they once got for free.” Even small cost increases can lead to steep drops in access. The Court’s decision is expected by the end of June.
