FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2026
Contact: Marie Johnson
On October 29, a federal court ruling protected access to Medicaid for chronically ill individuals whose eligibility had been threatened by a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidance issued in June. In reaction to the ruling, Catholic Health Association President and CEO Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, and Catholic Charities USA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson issued the following joint statement:
"The court’s ruling is an important step toward protecting access to care for millions of vulnerable Americans. We have been deeply concerned that these requirements would create barriers, causing eligible individuals to lose Medicaid coverage because of paperwork and administrative hurdles rather than changes in eligibility."
"Catholic healthcare is rooted in the belief that every person deserves access to needed care, especially those facing illness, disability, and poverty. Policies that exacerbate coverage losses among eligible individuals ultimately harm patients, communities, and the providers who serve them."
"We will continue to work with policymakers to ensure that future Medicaid policies are consistent with the law and support, rather than impede, access to essential healthcare services."
###
About Catholic Health Association of the United States
The Catholic Health Association of the United States is the national leadership organization of the Catholic health ministry, representing the largest nonprofit provider of health care services in the nation.
- 1 in 7 patients in the U.S. is cared for in a Catholic hospital each day.
- Catholic health care, which includes more than 2,200 hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, systems, sponsors, and related organizations, serves the full continuum of health care across our nation.
About Catholic Charities USA
Founded in 1910, CCUSA is a national membership organization that supports and represents 170 Catholic Charities agencies across the United States and in five territories. Collectively, the Catholic Charities network each year serves more than 16 million vulnerable people, regardless of their faith or background, through food and nutrition programs, affordable housing, disaster relief and a variety of other humanitarian services.