Forum
U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status
Decided
Docket Number
Term
2016 Term
Oral Argument Date
March 01, 2017
Lower Court Opinion
Questions Presented
(1) Whether FEHBA preempts state laws that prevent carriers from seeking subrogation or reimbursement pursuant to their FEHBA contracts.
(2) Whether FEHBA’s express-preemption provision, 5 U.S.C. § 8902(m)(1), violates the Supremacy Clause.
Case Updates
Supreme Court holds that FEHBA preempts state anti-subrogation laws
April 18, 2017
The Supreme Court held that the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act (“FEHBA”) preempts state laws that prevent insurance carriers from seeking subrogation or reimbursement pursuant to their FEHBA contracts.
U.S. Chamber files amicus brief
December 27, 2016
The U.S. Chamber filed an amicus brief in a Supreme Court merits case interpreting the scope of the express preemption clause of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act (“FEHBA”). The brief urged the Court to overturn a Missouri Supreme Court opinion that invoked the presumption against preemption to permit a class action claiming that an insurer’s subrogation of settlement proceeds violates Missouri common law. The brief further argued that the presumption against preemption should be rejected as a canon of construction and the best interpretation of FEHBA is that Congress expressly intended to preempt state anti-subrogation laws.
Kathleen M. Sullivan, Derek L. Shaffer, and Cleland B. Welton II of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP served as counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center.
Case Documents
- Opinion -- Nevils v. Group Health Plan, Inc. (Mo.).pdf
- Cert. Petition -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Brief in Opposition -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS)_0.pdf
- Reply Brief (cert.) -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Joint Appendix -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Brief of Petitioner -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- United States Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- U.S. Chamber Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- AHIP Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Brief for Respondent -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- AAJ Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys Amicus -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- NGA Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Professors Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS)_0.pdf
- States Amicus Brief -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS)_0.pdf
- Reply Brief for Petitioner -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Transcript of Oral Argument -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf
- Opinion -- Coventry Health Care v. Nevils (SCOTUS).pdf