TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (2025)

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION; Tyler Regional Hospital, L.L.C.; Dr. Adam Corley, Plaintiffs—Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; Office of Personnel Management; United States Department of Labor; United States Department of Treasury; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in his official capacity; Charles Ezell, in his official capacity as the Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management; Scott Bessent, Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury, in his official capacity; Lori Chavez-Deremer, Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, in her official capacity, Defendants—Appellants/Cross-Appellees,

Lifenet, Incorporated; Air Methods Corporation; Rocky Mountain Holdings, L.L.C.; East Texas Air One, L.L.C., Plaintiffs—Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. United States Department of Health and Human Services; Office of Personnel Management; United States Department of Labor; United States Department of Treasury; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in his official capacity; Charles Ezell, in his official capacity as the Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management; Scott Bessent, Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury, in his official capacity; Lori Chavez-Deremer, Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, in her official capacity, Defendants—Appellants.

No. 23-40605

Decided: May 30, 2025

Before Elrod, Chief Judge, and Jones, Smith, Stewart, Richman, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, Douglas, and Ramirez, Circuit Judges.

Cody Matthew Akins, Jillian Stonecipher, Sidley Austin, L.L.P., Washington, DC, Jaime L.M. Jones, Sidley Austin, L.L.P., Chicago, IL, Penny Packard Reid, Sidley Austin, L.L.P., Dallas, TX, for Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants Texas Medical Association, Tyler Regional Hospital, L.L.C., Dr. Adam Corley. Steven Shepard, Stephen Lee Shackelford, Jr., Esq., James Craig Smyser, Susman Godfrey, L.L.P., New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee/Cross-Appellant LifeNet, Incorporated. David Alan King, Joshua Arters, Polsinelli, P.C., Nashville, TN, for Plaintiff-Appellee/Cross-Appellant Air Methods Corporation, Rocky Mountain Holdings, L.L.C. Steven Shepard, James Craig Smyser, Susman Godfrey, L.L.P., New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee/Cross-Appellant East Texas Air One, L.L.C. Leif Eric Overvold, Anna L. Deffebach, Joshua Marc Salzman, Kevin Benjamin Soter , U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Washington, DC, for Defendants- Appellants/Cross-Appellee. Hyland Hunt, Deutsch Hunt , P.L.L.C., Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae America's Health Insurance Plans. K. Lee Blalack, II, O'Melveny & Myers, L.L.P., Washington, DC, Andrew Robert Hellman, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, L.L.P., Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Joseph J. Wardenski, Wardenski, P.C., New York, NY, for Amici Curiae The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, The ALS Association, CancerCare, Epilepsy Foundation, Families USA Action, Hemophilia Federation of America, The Mended Hearts, Incorporated, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Patient Advocate Foundation, U.S. PIRG. James Edward Tysse, Esq., Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae American Medical Association. Aaron D. Lindstrom, Barnes & Thornburg, L.L.P., Grand Rapids, MI, for Amici Curiae American Society of Anesthesiologists, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Radiology. Long Xuan Do, Athene Law, L.L.P., San Francisco, CA, Eric D. Chan, Athene Law, L.L.P., Culver City, CA, for Amici Curiae Physicians Advocacy Institute, Fifteen State Medical Associations, Six Specialty Medical Societies. Jack R. Bierig, Esq., ArentFox Schiff, L.L.P., Chicago, IL, for Amicus Curiae Emergency Department Practice Management Association.