Act to protect HHS for families

According to news services (CNN, WSJ, etc.), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly planning to remove/fire all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The 16-member task force was established in 1984 and provides recommendations about preventive services, such as screenings for cancer and various disorders and counseling that help make Americans aware of illnesses and conditions earlier, when they can be easier and less expensive to treat. The Affordable Care Act mandates that those services are provided without charge to patients. Kennedy believes the panel has become too “woke,” citing its use of inclusive language like “pregnant persons” in its medical guidance. A USPSTF meeting that had been scheduled for mid-July was abruptly canceled without explanation. The American Medical Association (AMA) sent a letter to Kennedy. It states, “Importantly, the USPSTF puts forth recommendations that dictate coverage policy for health insurers nationwide. By law, insurers must cover USPSTF-recommended services without cost sharing. This means that patients have access to services such as screenings for colon, breast, and lung cancer; screenings for anxiety and depression in children; and screenings and preventive services for cardiovascular disease. Access to these services without cost sharing plays a critical role in keeping patients healthy and reducing the burdens of disease” (ama-assn.org). If Kennedy dismantles the USPSTF, it puts American healthcare in jeopardy. This administration has already gutted Medicaid, potentially putting lives in danger. Slashing the USPSTF adds to the damage, and may allow insurance providers to change coverage. If they no longer allow screenings, the health of Americans will be at risk. Low income families will no longer get cancer screenings or mental health care. This puts more lives in danger. While the Department of Health and Human Services has stated that no final decision has been made, the move follows Kennedy’s earlier dismissal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and is seen as part of his broader “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Kennedy’s replacements continue to question immunization, which has been necessary for reducing disease. Kennedy’s actions are not making “America Healthy Again.” He has his own warped agenda, and it’s hazardous to Americans and their families. How about we make America think again instead? Kennedy is dangerous. His views have no medical basis and are skewed by his beliefs. American families need you to remove Kennedy as HHS Secretary, and to propose retaining the USPSTF employees currently employed.