Linda Frew, on Behalf of Her Daughter, Carla Frew, et al. v. Albert Hawkins, Commissioner, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, et al. (540 U.S. 431)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided January 14, 2004 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 540 U.S. 431 · 124 S. Ct. 899
- Decided
- January 14, 2004
- Term
- October Term 2003
- Vote
- 9–0
- Majority author
- Justice Kennedy
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice Kennedy delivered the opinion of the Court. In this case we consider whether the Eleventh Amendment bars enforcement of a federal consent decree entered into by state officials. I Medicaid is a cooperative federal-state program that provides federal funding for state medical services to the poor. See Wilder v. Virginia Hospital Assn., 496 U. S. 498, 502 (1990). State participation is voluntary; but once a State elects to join the program, it must administer a state plan that meets federal requirements. One requirement is that every participating State must have an Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program. See 79 Stat. 343, as amended, 42 U. S. C. §§ 1396a(a)(43), 1396d(r). EPSDT programs provide health care services to children to reduce lifelong vulnerability to illness or disease. The EPSDT provisions of the Medicaid statute require participating States to provide various medical services to eligible children, and to provide notice of the services. See ibid. Petitioners here are mothers of children eligible for EPSDT services in Texas. In 1993 they filed a civil action pursuant to Rev. Stat. § 1979, 42 U. S. C. § 1983, seeking in-junctive relief against the Texas Department of Health and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, as well as various officials at these agencies charged with implementing the Texas EPSDT program. The…
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