A recent federal court ruling in Washington DC has dismissed a lawsuit filed against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding a payment system that has significantly reduced reimbursements for numerous home health agencies since 2020. The US District Court for the District of Columbia made this decision in a memorandum opinion on April 26, stating that the plaintiffs, represented by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), did not follow proper procedures by failing to exhaust their administrative remedies before filing the lawsuit.
The court also denied NAHC’s own motion, which sought to have the payment system declared unlawful. The ruling indicates that the agency’s process for seeking expedited judicial review should have been pursued by the plaintiffs before resorting to legal action. By bypassing this process, the court found that the plaintiffs did not meet the necessary requirements to bring their case before the court.
The decision highlights the importance of following proper procedures when challenging government actions. By emphasizing the need to exhaust administrative remedies before seeking judicial review, it serves as a reminder of the legal steps that must be taken in such cases. Moving forward, it is likely that NAHC and other organizations will be more careful to adhere to these procedures when challenging government policies in the future.