On April 2, 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a Michigan statute that imposes price controls on pharmaceuticals sold to Medicaid recipients in the State. The decision was a setback for WLF, which filed a brief challenging the statute. The appeals court rejected WLF’s argument that the Michigan program is invalid because it conflicts with the federal Medicaid law. While agreeing with WLF that the Medicaid statutes in question could reasonably be interpreted as prohibiting the type of price control scheme imposed by Michigan, the court held that Medicaid officials’ contrary interpretation was also plausible and that it was required to defer to those officials’ interpretation of the law. WLF also argued that the program will result in substandard care for Michigan’s poorest citizens, because it will result in their being denied access to essential drugs that the State has deemed too expensive.