Supreme Court Rules That US Government Must Cover Native American Health Care

Four conservative justices dissented, saying the law doesn’t require federal reimbursement.

Chief Justice John Roberts reads a question from a senator during impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 29, 2020. Senate Television via Getty Images

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, joined by all three liberal justices and one conservative.