A coalition of U.S. city mayors is suing the Trump administration over a recently finalized rule that limits enrollment in Affordable Care Act Marketplace plans.
In June, the Trump administration finalized the “Marketplace Integrity and Affordability” rule, which shortens the open enrollment period for ACA plans to Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. Customers normally have until Jan. 15 to enroll. The rule also increases the maximum annual cost-sharing limitation and enacts stricter income verifications.
The changes take effect beginning in 2027.
The cities of Chicago, Columbus and Baltimore have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services, challenging the rule. They are joined by the advocacy groups Doctors for America and Main Street Alliance.
The group is being represented in the case by the legal organization Democracy Forward.
In their suit, they claim that the physicians who are part of Doctors for America will be harmed by this rule as more of their patients will become uninsured, and they will receive less than full reimbursement for patients without coverage. They are alleging the rule is in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
“Defendants failed to provide adequate reasons for, and failed to adequately respond to comments about, the following provisions, such that they are arbitrary and capricious under the APA, and Defendants failed to observe required procedure in adopting these provisions,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs are asking that the rule be found in violation and the law be blocked from being implemented.
“This unlawful rule will force families off their health insurance and raise costs on millions of Americans. This does nothing to help people – and instead harms Americans’ health and safety across our country,” Skye Perryman, Democracy Forward president and CEO said in a statement.
