RFK Jr. Said To Be Planning Another Health Panel Shakeup — This Time Targeting Preventive Care

Federal health officials are reportedly already vetting new members for the task force, with discussions suggesting a shift away from its current physician-heavy makeup.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly preparing to overhaul the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the panel that recommends which preventive services, such as cancer screenings and HIV prevention, must be covered by insurers under the Affordable Care Act, STAT News reported on Tuesday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Federal health officials are already vetting new members, according to the report. 

David Mansdoerfer, a former Trump HHS official and adviser to a group aligned with Kennedy, told Reuters that he knows a few candidates under consideration, all of whom are clinical health professionals. 

He suggested the restructured panel could include a broader mix of providers beyond physicians, which he described as a shift from the current “MD-heavy” makeup.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Kennedy plans to remove all 16 current panel members. 

An HHS spokesperson confirmed that no final decision has been made, but stated that the agency is reviewing how the task force can better support its mission to “Make America Healthy Again.”

In June, Kennedy Jr. ousted all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and replaced them with his own appointees, including some of whom have raised questions about vaccines. 

Now, a similar shakeup could be on the horizon for another key health panel.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is intended to be an independent body. Members are still appointed by the health secretary and rely on the federal government for staff and other support. 

The task force has major sway over what preventive services, like screenings and early treatment options, plans must cover. The Supreme Court last month sided with the panel in a decision affirming its authority.

Discussions about replacing the current members have already sparked concern across the medical world. Earlier this month, more than 100 health groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, urged Congress to step in and protect the task force. Some conservative critics, however, have accused the group of leaning too far left.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment was ‘neutral’ for the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) and ‘bullish’ for the iShares Global Healthcare ETF (IXJ), with both seeing ‘high’ message volume.

So far this year, XLV is down 2.3% and IXJ has declined 0.3%.

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