Maine rejected by U.S. Supreme Court on PPACA requirement

(Bloomberg) — The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid by Maine to escape one requirement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), as the justices prepare to rule on a more far-reaching challenge that might unravel the health care law.

See also: Maine Sues for Medicaid Waiver

The justices Monday left intact a federal appeals court decision that said Maine must continue offering Medicaid coverage to young adults until 2019.

The dispute turned on a PPACA provision that requires states to maintain their existing eligibility standards for children as a condition of receiving federal dollars under the Medicaid health care program for the poor.

Maine’s top health official, Mary Mayhew, sought to drop the state’s longstanding Medicaid coverage for 19-and 20-year-olds. The Obama administration refused to allow the change, pointing to the PPACA provision.

Mayhew sued, arguing that the state was being unconstitutionally coerced into keeping that coverage. A Boston-based federal appeals court rejected that argument.