UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE

An application by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to stay, pending her appeal to the Court of Appeals, the District Court's "preliminary injunction" is granted insofar as it required her to promulgate nationwide regulations providing hospitals with rights to immediate review of their individual Medicare reimbursement rates and with enhanced reimbursement for inpatient services. If the Court of Appeals were to affirm the District Court's use of a "preliminary injunction" to require the Secretary to issue nationwide regulations, at least four Members of this Court would probably vote to grant certiorari. Moreover, it does not appear that the District Court had authority to order such sweeping "preliminary" relief, and the "stay equities" favor the Secretary. However, it does not appear likely that four Members of this Court would grant review of the issues presented by that portion of the District Court's order granting preliminary relief to respondent operator of a hospital, which had filed the suit only to challenge the administrative determination of its own Medicare reimbursement rate and to obtain additional reimbursement. Accordingly, the application for a stay is denied with respect to the latter portion of the District Court's preliminary injunction.