WASHINGTON The Supreme Court was being asked Tuesday to say when states agree to accept federal money to provide services so-called spending clause legislation for programs like Medicare and Medicaid they shouldn t face lawsuits from individuals over civil-rights violations unless the legislation itself gives states clear notice they re subject to lawsuits.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard an Indiana case Tuesday that could determine whether Medicaid beneficiaries can sue in federal court if they believe their rights are being violated or whether the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should make that determination.
When Susie Talevski sued the agency that managed her elderly father’s care before he died, she hoped to get justice for her family. She did not expect the case would grow into a national bellwether. A ruling against her could strip millions of vulnerable Americans of their power to hold states accountable when they do