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No. 20-1312October Term 2020Decided Jun 24, 2022Updated May 25, 2026

Docket 20-1312October Term 2020 (2020–2021)

Becerra v. Empire Health Foundation, For Valley Hospital Medical Center

This case was about how the federal government calculates extra Medicare payments for hospitals that treat many low-income patients.

Case status

Decided 5-4 · June 24, 2022 · Opinion by Justice Kagan

Read the opinion (PDF)
Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released Jun 24, 2022
Case Accepted
Arguments
Decision ReleasedJun 24, 2022
What it's about

This case was about how the federal government calculates extra Medicare payments for hospitals that treat many low-income patients. The dispute centered on whether patients who qualify for Medicare Part A count in the Medicare part of that formula even if Medicare did not actually pay for their hospital stay, and the Court held that they do.

Question presented

Whether the Secretary has permissibly included in a hospital's Medicare fraction all of the hospital's patient days of individuals who satisfy the requirements to be entitled to Medicare Part A benefits, regardless of whether Medicare paid the hospital for those particular days.

Case path

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Decision released Jun 24, 2022

Area

Decided Supreme Court case

Timing

Decided June 24, 2022

The Court released its decision on June 24, 2022 without hearing oral argument.

Activity

Docket activity3
  • Brief added: Questions Presented

    May 25, 2026 | Court records

  • Opinion added: opinion

    Jun 24, 2022 | Court records

  • Brief added: Petition

    Mar 19, 2021 | Court records