GLMA Applauds Supreme Court Ruling Protecting Preventive Care Coverage
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2025
Contact: Eli Duffy
Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships
eduffy@glma.org
WASHINGTON, DC — GLMA celebrates today’s Supreme Court decision in
Kennedy v. Braidwood, which upholds the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that private insurers fully cover preventive health services without cost-sharing. The ruling ensures continued access to lifesaving care such as cancer screenings, contraception, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. This marks a major victory for public health, science-based medicine, and LGBTQ+ communities nationwide.
For over a decade, the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s preventive services mandate has improved health outcomes, saved lives, and reduced health disparities. Today’s decision preserves that progress and rejects efforts to deny care based on ideology and stigma.
The lawsuit, filed by business owners in Texas, sought to block coverage of services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), specifically targeting HIV prevention. A loss would have allowed insurers to reintroduce copays or drop coverage altogether, creating financial and access barriers for the 150 million Americans who rely on private insurance. While the Court did not strip away the ACA’s protections, it stopped short of a broad assertion of the USPSTF’s independence, potentially leaving the door open to future legal and political threats.
In preparation for the case, GLMA joined 32 other leading medical, public health, and patient advocacy organizations in filing an
amicus brief urging the Court to uphold the ACA’s preventive services provision. The brief provided extensive scientific evidence showing that preventive care saves lives, reduces disparities, and lowers costs.
While today’s ruling is cause for celebration, it also reveals significant vulnerabilities in how preventive care decisions may be made under the current administration. Given Secretary Kennedy’s troubling remarks on advisory committee integrity and vaccine safety, the concentration of power in his hands raises serious concerns about the politicization of science and proliferation of medical misinformation. GLMA urges continued vigilance to ensure that preventive care guidelines are shaped by clinical expertise and public health priorities, not political agendas.
“This is a critical win for LGBTQ+ people and for everyone who values access to lifesaving care,” said Alex Sheldon, Executive Director of GLMA. “From cancer screenings to PrEP, preventive services aren’t optional; they are essential, and today, access to that care remains protected. But let’s be clear: this is a win on procedural terms, not a permanent safeguard. We remain deeply concerned about growing efforts to politicize medicine and the work of expert bodies like the USPSTF under this administration. The strength of public health policy comes from rigorous, science-based decision making and we cannot allow ideology to override evidence when lives are on the line.”
“This decision keeps PrEP and other essential services within reach,” said Joel Trambley, MD, PhD, AAHIVM, HIV care provider and GLMA’s liaison to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. “From HIV prevention to cancer screenings and mental health care, preventive services are the foundation of a healthier, more equitable future. That means fewer preventable illnesses, earlier diagnoses, and better outcomes across the board. This is a win for public health, but it is not a guarantee. Coverage only matters if it translates into access. We are not done pushing to make that happen.”
GLMA serves as an official Dissemination & Implementation partner of the USPSTF, providing interdisciplinary medical expertise and advocating for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ health experts and patients in the USPSTF's work to ensure that the Task Force considers the unique needs and experiences of this population in its recommendations.
About GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments. To achieve this mission, GLMA utilizes the scientific expertise of its diverse multidisciplinary membership to inform and drive advocacy, education, and research.
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