October Term 2012 · Docket 11-1231
Can hospitals extend Medicare claim deadlines?
Hospitals seek to file late claims. The government insists strict deadlines apply.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Kneedler argued the deadline is absolute.
Mr. Manning argued the deadline allows equitable tolling.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-11
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Auburn Regional Medical Center filed Medicare claims late. The government rejected them. Auburn argues the deadline is flexible. The government argues the deadline is absolute.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 4, 2012.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 3-11
What each side wants
Auburn wants to recover payment for late claims.
The government wants to deny payment for late claims.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
What each side says
Auburn argues the deadline allows equitable tolling.
The government argues the deadline is jurisdictional.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if equitable tolling applies to jurisdictional limits.
Justice Alito asked if hospital sophistication affects deadline compliance.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-11
Why it matters
This case defines Medicare claim deadlines. Hospitals rely on these rules for revenue. The government relies on them for budget control. Clear rules prevent administrative chaos.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-11
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-23 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-1
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.