October Term 2014 · Docket 14-15
Can providers sue for full Medicaid rates when state law caps them?
Providers seek full payment for services. State law caps rates. The dispute centers on federal preemption.
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. Withroe argued no private right of action exists under Section 1983.
Mr. Piotrowski stated an APA challenge was not a viable alternative.
Mr. Kneedler explained Medicaid differs from other Spending Clause programs.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 51-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 51-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- 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 33-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 3-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-39
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests whether the Supremacy Clause creates a private right to sue for higher Medicaid rates.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 20, 2015.
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 58, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 7-10
What each side wants
Providers want full payment for services rendered.
The state wants to enforce its statutory rate caps.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
What each side says
Providers argue federal law preempts state rate limits.
The state argues no private right of action exists.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked why this is not an enforcement action.
Justice Breyer asked if a doctor can sue for the difference in rates.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 51-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 51-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 3-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-39
Why it matters
This dispute determines how providers recover costs under Medicaid. It defines the scope of federal preemption in healthcare billing.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
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 51-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 51-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 41-47
- 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 33-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 3-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-39
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 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 15-13 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 15-13
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.