The task that RFK Jr. has set for himself is huge: nothing less, it appears, than a revolution in the health of the American people. If successful, or even partially successful, Kennedy’s efforts would spare tens of millions of Americans from needless suffering and early death. His efforts could also help to save many billions in Medicare and Medicaid spending.
As director of Health and Human Services, Kennedy would enjoy great power to allocate funds (an estimated $1.7 trillion), set standards (such as the government “food pyramid” and school lunch programs), limit SNAP spending to healthier items, fund research, and promote public education. Whether or not all of this would lead to a “revolution” in America’s health is another question.
In what has been described as a “contentious” Senate confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. rejected the idea that he is “anti-vaccine,” portrayed his views on abortion as mainstream, parried questions on Medicare and Medicaid, and stated that he supports further drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act. Repeatedly, Kennedy insisted that he would support the Trump administration’s policies on…
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