October Term 2021 · Docket 20-1312
Does Medicare count only patients with active benefits?
Hospitals argue the law counts all indigent patients. The government argues it counts only those with active benefits.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion 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. Bond argued the statute directs counting entitled patients.
Mr. Hettich argued the agency violated clear congressional instructions.
Justice Roberts noted Congress was frustrated with agency actions.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 41-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 41-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-31 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 21-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-43
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests how to read a Medicare payment formula. The formula counts patient days for people entitled to benefits. The dispute centers on who qualifies as entitled.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 29, 2021.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 31-33
What each side wants
Hospitals want the law to count all indigent patient days.
The government wants the law to count only days with active benefits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
What each side says
Hospitals argue the statute plainly requires counting all indigent patients.
The government argues the phrase for such days limits the count.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the government relies on deference.
Justice Thomas asked how to define entitled without a statutory definition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 41-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 41-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-31 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 21-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-43
Why it matters
This dispute determines how hospitals receive federal payments. It affects funding for care of low-income patients. It clarifies the scope of Medicare reimbursement rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
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 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 41-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 41-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-31 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 21-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-43
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 45-53 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 45-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 53-29 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 53-29
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.