672
Opinion of Breyer, J.
least to some degree. Ante, at 663-665 (plurality opinion). For another, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (whose views are highly relevant to the question before us, infra this page) has indicated that state programs somewhat similar to Maine's may prove consistent with Medicaid objectives, and the Secretary has approved at least one such program. Ante, at 660-661, n. 30 (plurality opinion); Letter from Theodore B. Olson, Solicitor General, to William K. Suter, Clerk of the Court (Jan. 10, 2003). As a result, it is now apparent that proper determination of the pre-emption question will demand a more careful balancing of Medicaid-related harms and benefits than the District Court undertook. Cf. California v. FERC, 495 U. S. 490, 506 (1990) (finding a state law pre-empted where it "would disturb and conflict with the balance embodied in [a] considered federal agency determination"). These postentry considerations, along with the general importance of the pre-emption question, convince me that we should not overlook the District Court's technical misstatement of the proper legal standard, and that we should therefore affirm the Court of Appeals' judgment vacating the injunction.
By vacating the injunction, we shall also help ensure that the District Court takes account of the Secretary's views in further proceedings that may involve a renewed motion for a preliminary injunction. It is important that the District Court do so. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administers the Medicaid program. Institutionally speaking, that agency is better able than a court to assemble relevant facts (e. g., regarding harm caused to present Medicaid patients) and to make relevant predictions (e. g., regarding furtherance of Medicaid-related goals). And the law grants significant weight to any legal conclusion by the Secretary as to whether a program such as Maine's is consistent with Medicaid's objectives. See, e. g., Chevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U. S.
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