Supreme Court Finds 5–4 Federal Government Must Cover Native American Health Care

The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 on June 6 that the federal government will have to cover Indian tribes’ costs incurred in operating tribal health care programs. The majority opinion in Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe and Becerra v. Northern Arapaho Tribe was written by Chief Justice John Roberts. All three liberal justices and one conservative joined the majority opinion. All four conservative justices dissented. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Xavier Becerra was the petitioner in both cases. He appealed unfavorable rulings by lower courts. The respondent, the San Carlos Apache Indian Tribe, is based in Arizona. The other respondent, the Northern Arapaho Tribe, is based in Wyoming....