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

The case asks how the federal government should count hospital days in a Medicare formula that helps determine extra payments for hospitals serving many low-income patients. The dispute is whether days for patients who qualify for Medicare Part A should count in the Medicare share even when Medicare did not pay for that specific hospital stay.

No oral argument is scheduled yet. The parties disagree over whether the formula should turn on a patient's entitlement to Medicare Part A benefits or on whether Medicare actually paid for the hospital stay.

The answer could change how much money some hospitals receive from Medicare, especially hospitals that treat many poorer patients. For example, a safety-net hospital's annual reimbursement could rise or fall depending on which patient days are included in the formula.

The next key move is scheduling oral argument or another action from the Court. No decision window is available yet.

The fight is over whether certain hospital days count because a patient qualified for Medicare Part A, even if Medicare did not pay. That choice affects a payment formula for hospitals serving many low-income patients.

It could change Medicare payments for hospitals that care for many low-income patients. That can affect hospital budgets and resources for patient care.

Watch for the Supreme Court to schedule oral argument or make another calendar move. Until then, there is no set timeline for a final decision.