A Victory in Westside Mothers
Case
May 17, 2002- The Court of Appeals May 15 handed down
a decision
reversing a District Court holding, thus upholding the rights
of Medicaid beneficiaries and others to challenge a state's
Medicaid program in Westside Mothers v. Haveman. Last
year the AAMC and others submitted an amicus brief to the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in support of the
plaintiffs. The case began as a lawsuit brought to enforce
the rights of children under the Michigan Medicaid program.
Among the arguments rejected by the Court of Appeals were
that Medicaid is essentially a contract between the federal
government and the states rather than federal law, that the
Medicaid statute is not the supreme law of the land, that
there is no private right of action under section 1983, and
that states are immune from suit for Medicaid violations.
The lower court decision in the Westside Mothers case
had, in effect, denied both beneficiaries and providers the
right to sue the Medicaid program to stop state officials
from violating provisions of the Medicaid statute. Had the
District Court's opinion been upheld, it would have threatened
the ability of Medicaid beneficiaries, Medicaid providers
and others to ensure that states comply with federal Medicaid
requirements.
Information:
Ivy Baer, Director & Regulatory Counsel
AAMC Health Care Affairs
ibaer@aamc.orc
(202) 828-0490
Get Washington Highlights
in your Inbox!
| 
