Update on Salazar v. District of Columbia Class Action

Since 1999, the District of Columbia has been subject to a consent decree, referred to as the Settlement Order, which enjoins the District to take actions to remedy its violations of the Medicaid statute. For over 25 years, the United States Court for the District of Columbia has provided oversight of the District’s compliance with the Settlement Order.

In 2009 and 2013, the Court dismissed sections of the Settlement Order based on the District of Columbia’s compliance with timely Medicaid application processing and based on a change of law regarding Medicaid recertification processing. The two remaining sections of the Settlement Order cover reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses for Medicaid recipients and the child health benefit called Early and Periodic, Diagnostic, Screening, and Treatment (EPSDT) services for children up to age 21.  On October 31, 2025, the District of Columbia and the Plaintiff class, represented by class counsel, entered into a Settlement Agreement designed to end court oversight of the reimbursement and EPSDT sections of the Settlement Order within two years and to provide a durable remedy for the Plaintiff class.

On May 1, 2026, the Court entered an Order Preliminarily Approving the Settlement Agreement, Directing Notice to the Class, and Setting a Date for a Fair Hearing. The Settlement Agreement is available here. The Class Notice in English is available here. El Aviso a Miembros de Demanda Colectiva en español está disponible aquí.

For more detailed information about what will happen next, please contact counsel for the Plaintiff class at zsanchez@tpmlaw.com/202-204-8484 (there is no charge for contacting us) and you may also read the responses to Frequently Asked Questions here.