High Court backs Idaho In Medicaid reimbursement rate case

The US Supreme Court has ruled that private health care providers cannot sue states to force them to increase their Medicaid reimbursement rates in keeping with increasing medical costs.

The justices ruled 5-4 today that the medical companies have no private right to enforce federal Medicaid funding laws against states if Congress has not created such a right.

The ruling is a blow to many doctors and health care companies that complain Medicaid reimbursement rates are so low, they often lose money seeing patients participating in the program, commented the Associated Press. They consider law suits such as the 2009 case against Idaho their only option to make states comply with federal law and offer adequate coverage.