Marietta Memorial Hospital Employee Health Benefit Plan v. DaVita Inc.

The Supreme Court is being asked whether an employer health plan breaks the Medicare Secondary Payer Act when it pays the same limited amount for outpatient dialysis for every enrollee. DaVita says that even this uniform design can unlawfully shift costs to Medicare because most dialysis patients have end-stage renal disease.

The case is still pending, and no oral argument is scheduled yet. The fight is over whether a uniform dialysis payment rule can still "take into account" Medicare eligibility or "differentiate" in benefits for people with end-stage renal disease.

The case could affect how employer health plans cover dialysis and when Medicare ends up paying more of the bill. For example, a worker or dependent who needs regular dialysis could be affected by how much a job-based plan reimburses for that treatment.

Watch for the Court to schedule oral argument or make another procedural move. No decision window is available yet.

The case asks whether a health plan can lawfully pay the same limited dialysis benefit to everyone. DaVita says that approach still harms patients with end-stage renal disease and shifts costs to Medicare.

Patients who need regular dialysis, employer health plans, and Medicare could all be affected. The answer may shape who pays more when dialysis treatment is needed over time.

The next major step is a scheduling move, especially oral argument. Until then, there is no decision date to watch.