Who Will Lead HHS?

Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is Robert Kennedy Jr. He is a conspiracy theorist and admitted heroin addict without any medical education, health care administration, or government experience.

He fumbled questions about Medicare and Medicaid during his confirmation hearing, making basic factual errors about the biggest programs he would oversee as HHS secretary. Medicare, the government insurance program for older Americans, and Medicaid, the federal-state partnership that covers low-income people.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana asked the nominee about possible Medicaid reform plans but Kennedy replied, “Most people who are on Medicaid are not happy. The premiums are too high, the deductibles are too high, the networks are narrow.”

In reality, broad support for Medicaid exists, and almost all beneficiaries do not pay any premiums or deductibles. Kennedy also testified that he believes Medicaid is “fully paid for” by “the federal government.” Of course, State governments fund nearly a third of the program.