Cecile Erwin Young, in Her Official Capacity as the Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission; Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc.; And Aetna Better Health of Texas, Inc. v. Cook Children's Health Plan, Texas Children's Health Plan, Superior Health Plan, Inc., and Wellpoint Insurance Company
Opinion
ACCEPTED 15-24-00114-CV FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS 8/20/2025 3:12 PM No. 15-24-00114-CV CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE CLERK __________________________________________________________________ FILED IN 15th COURT OF APPEALS IN THE FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS A USTIN, TEXAS 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM __________________________________________________________________ CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk Cecile E. Young, in her official capacity as Executive Commissioner of Texas Health & Human Services Commission, Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc., and Aetna Better Health of Texas, Inc. Appellants, v. Cook Children’s Health Plan, Texas Children’s Health Plan, Superior HealthPlan, Inc., and Wellpoint Insurance Company, Appellees. __________________________________________________________________ Appeal from 455th Judicial District Court, Travis County, Texas, Trial Court Cause No. D-1-GN-24-003839, Hon. Laurie Eiserloh, Presiding __________________________________________________________________ AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF TEXAS INC. AND MOLINA HEALTHCARE OF TEXAS, INC.’S JOINT UNOPPOSED MOTION TO EXTEND TIME TO FILE APPELLANT’S BRIEF __________________________________________________________________
In accordance with Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 10.5(b), Appellants Aetna Better Health of Texas, Inc. (“Aetna”) and Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc. (“Molina”) file this motion for an extension of time to file their appellant’s briefs.
This is the first request for an extension of time for this filing, and it is unopposed.
The purpose of the request is to maintain a single deadline for all appellants’ briefs.
1. By order dated August 8, 2025, this Court ordered all appellants to file their opening briefs by August 28, 2025.
2. Appellant Cecile Erwin Young, in her official capacity as the Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, moved for an extension until September 29, 2025. Although Aetna and Molina took no position on the Commissioner’s motion, Aetna and Molina suggested that all appellants’ deadlines should remain aligned. The Commissioner noted Aetna and Molina’s preference in the motion’s certificate of conference. See Young Mot.
5.
3. On August 19, 2025, the Court granted the Commissioner’s motion.
Accordingly, the Commissioner’s appellant’s brief is currently due on September 29, while Aetna and Molina’s appellant’s briefs remain due on August 28.
4. To keep the appellants’ deadlines and the appellees’ response deadlines aligned, Aetna and Molina move the Court to extend the deadline for their appellant’s briefs to September 29, 2025.
Prayer Aetna and Molina respectfully urge the Court to extend the deadline for filing their appellant’s briefs until September 29, 2025.
Respectfully submitted, TAFT STETTINIUS & HOLLISTER LLP /s/ Marc J. Kessler Marc J. Kessler Ohio Bar No. 0059263 South High Street, Suite 1800 Columbus, Ohio 43215-6106 (614) 220-0237 EWELL, BROWN, BLANKE & KNIGHT LLP /s/ Joseph R. Knight Joseph R. Knight State Bar No. 11601275 Congress Avenue, 28th Floor Austin, Texas 78701 512.770.4010 877.851.6384 (fax) [email protected] Attorneys for Aetna Better Health of Texas, Inc. SCOTT, DOUGLASS, & MCCONNICO LLP /s/ Jason R. LaFond (with permission) Jason R. LaFond State Bar No. 24103136 [email protected] Cheryl Joseph LaFond State Bar No. 24104015 [email protected] Colorado Street, Suite 2400 Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 495-6300 Attorneys for Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc.
Certificate of Conference I certify that I consulted with counsel for all parties on August 20, 2025, and all of them are unopposed to the relief sought in this motion.
/s/ Joseph R. Knight Joseph R. Knight
Certificate of Service I certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing document has been filed and served on all counsel of record on August 20, 2025, via the Court’s electronic filing service.
/s/ Joseph R. Knight Joseph R. Knight
Automated Certificate of eService This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.
Envelope ID: 104630700 Filing Code Description: Motion Filing Description: Joint Unopposed Motion to Extend Time to file Appellants' Briefs Status as of 8/20/2025 3:23 PM CST Case Contacts Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status Michaelle Peters [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Julie Wright [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Amanda DoddsPrice [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Karen Burgess 796276 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Mark Emery 24050564 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Robert Johnson 10786400 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Richard Phillips 24032833 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT J McCaig 24070083 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Michelle Ku 24071452 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Joseph Knight 11601275 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Amy Warr 795708 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Warren Huang 796788 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Paul Trahan 24003075 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Susan Harris 6876980 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Anna Baker 791362 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Maria Williamson [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Cory Scanlon 24104599 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Mandy Patterson [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Michelle Joyner [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT William FCole [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Abril Rivera [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Nancy Villarreal [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Automated Certificate of eService This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.
Envelope ID: 104630700 Filing Code Description: Motion Filing Description: Joint Unopposed Motion to Extend Time to file Appellants' Briefs Status as of 8/20/2025 3:23 PM CST Case Contacts Nancy Villarreal [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Kayla Ahmed [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Kristin Hernandez [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Thomas Coulter 4885500 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Victoria Gomez [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Cheryl LaFond 24104015 [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Jessie Johnson [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Benjamin Grossman [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT David Johns [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Jennifer Cook [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Juliana Bennington [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Jonathan Hawley [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM ERROR Reina A.Almon-Griffin [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Trisha Marino [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Katie Dolan-Galaviz [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Karen Walker [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Tiffany Roddenberry [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Stacey Obenhaus [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Jason R.LaFond [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Matthew Gordon [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Stacey Jett [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Cory Scanlon [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT Perkins Docketing Team [email protected] 8/20/2025 3:12:23 PM SENT
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.