Preliminary Relief Granted in Challenge Brought by Cities, Doctors, and Small Business Advocates
July 17, 2026 - Baltimore, Md. – The U.S. District Court of Maryland has ruled in favor of a coalition that includes the City of Columbus, Mayor and 
City Council of Baltimore, City of Chicago, Doctors for America, and the Main Street Alliance, declaring in a preliminary relief order that the Trump-Vance administration’s so-called “Marketplace Integrity and Affordability” healthcare rule likely would unlawfully impose new fees, weaken coverage standards, and create barriers that would make it harder — and in some cases impossible — for people to get and keep affordable health insurance. Democracy Forward represents the coalition on this matter.
“This decision means that millions of people will continue to be able to access the affordable healthcare services they need, despite the Trump-Vance administration’s repeated attempts to strip this lifesaving access. Once again, those brave enough to fight back against this unlawful denial of healthcare have prevailed, and Democracy Forward is honored to represent these courageous plaintiffs,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “We are pleased that the court has stopped the president’s disastrous and harmful attempt to take healthcare away from working families, and remain committed to defending our democracy from these kinds of unlawful attempts to harm Americans.”
The case is City of Columbus et al. v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., et al., and the legal team at Democracy Forward includes Joel McElvain, Cortney Robinson Henderson, and Christine Coogle.
Read today’s order here and the court’s memo in support of the order here.
Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
Source: Democracy Forward Foundation