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Nominee emphasizes chronic disease, nutrition and program reforms as senators press Medicaid and Medicare implications
Summary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the Senate Finance Committee he would prioritize reversing the nation’s chronic disease epidemic through nutrition, prevention and value‑based care; senators pressed him on Medicaid and Medicare impacts, rural hospital closures, dual‑eligible integration and whether he supports cutting programs.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee for Health and Human Services, told the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday that fighting chronic disease and improving nutrition are central priorities if he is confirmed.
“Chronic disease is the obvious answer,” Kennedy said in his opening testimony, linking rising rates of obesity, diabetes and other conditions to changing food supplies and chemical exposures. He said “the CDC says 90% of health care spending goes toward managing chronic disease” and pledged to use HHS tools to shift toward prevention and value‑based care.
Why it matters: Medicaid and Medicare together account for a large share of federal health spending. Committee members repeatedly pressed Kennedy on what his priorities would mean for beneficiaries, how he would…
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