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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defends budget and touts $50B rural health plan, vows stricter fraud enforcement at Ways and Means hearing
Summary
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the House Ways and Means Committee that the administration's 2027 budget emphasizes prevention, a $50 billion rural health transformation fund and aggressive fraud-fighting. Members pressed him on vaccine guidance, WISER prior-authorization rules and alleged reinstatements of suspended brokers.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the administration's 2027 budget request on the House Ways and Means Committee's dais on Thursday, saying it centers on prevention, transparency and a five-year, $50 billion rural health transformation fund intended to shore up struggling rural hospitals and expand access.
Kennedy, the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, told the panel that the administration was "ending the era of federal policies that fueled the chronic disease epidemic and replacing them with policies that put the health of Americans first," and pointed to recent actions on drug pricing, dietary guidance and investments in rural residency programs.
The committee pressed Kennedy across multiple fronts. Republicans and Democrats sought commitments on rural funding safeguards after members warned that urban hospitals can game federal programs, and several Democrats raised concerns about cuts to…
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