RFK Jr fires USPSTF chair and vice chair

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed the top two leaders of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the federal advisory panel whose recommendations help determine which preventive care insurers must cover at no cost to patients. Reuters reported on May 20 that Kennedy fired chair John Wong of Tufts University School of Medicine and vice chair Esa Davis of the University of Maryland School of Medicine earlier this month, citing letters seen by the news agency. The move comes as the Department of Health and Human Services seeks new nominees for the task force and after the panel went more than a year without meeting. The removals have drawn scrutiny because the task force’s recommendations are tied to no-cost coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act. ### Who are the two officials Kennedy removed? John Wong and Esa Davis were serving as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force when they were removed earlier in May, according to Reuters and CNN. Wong is a professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Davis is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Reuters said the terminations were reflected in correspondence seen by the outlet. (wkzo.com) CNN reported that the letters said the department was acting “to help protect the Task Force and preserve confidence in the continuity and durability of its work.” The letters also said the leaders were removed “to avoid uncertainty that could jeopardize the validity of future Task Force actions,” though CNN said they did not specify the risks cited by the department. (wkzo.com) ### Why does this panel matter to patients with private insurance? The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issues evidence-based recommendations on screenings, counseling and preventive medications for adults and children. Recommendations graded A or B are the ones most directly tied to the Affordable Care Act’s preventive-services coverage rules, according to the task force’s website and a Congressional Research Service summary. Those requirements affect coverage of services such as cancer screenings, counseling and other preventive interventions without patient cost-sharing in most private plans. (ktvz.com) HealthCare.gov lists covered adult preventive benefits that include services such as lung cancer screening for eligible adults, hepatitis C screening, HIV screening and statin preventive medication for some high-risk adults. The panel’s role is not to administer insurance plans directly; it sets recommendations that feed into coverage mandates under federal law. ### Why is the shake-up happening now? (uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org) The task force has not met for more than a year, CNN reported, and half of its 16 seats are unfilled. Reuters reported that five volunteers whose terms expired in December had not been replaced. The panel’s regularly scheduled meetings were canceled after Kennedy took office, leaving the group inactive as the administration began reshaping it. (healthcare.gov) An April 23 Federal Register notice showed the administration was already soliciting nominations for new members, with a stated goal of broadening the panel’s expertise. The notice encouraged applications from specialists including cardiologists, oncologists, radiologists, obstetricians and experts in health economics, rather than relying only on the primary-care-heavy mix that has traditionally defined the task force. (ktvz.com) ### What has Kennedy said about the task force? Kennedy told lawmakers in April that the task force had been “lackadaisical and negligent for 20 years,” according to Politico. Politico reported that he cited the panel’s failure to recommend early Alzheimer’s screening as an example of a decision he opposed and said he wanted members “who have a clear mission.” (federalregister.gov) At the same time, Kennedy told lawmakers he wanted “the best people” and “a more representative group of specialties,” Politico reported. CNN separately reported that the administration’s review comes as HHS seeks to wield more influence over panels of outside medical experts, an interpretation CNN attributed to critics of the move. ### What happens next? (politico.com) May 23 is the deadline for nominations for new task force members, according to the Federal Register notice. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said appointments are expected to begin in June 2026, while CNN reported new members are expected to start serving in July. Reuters also reported that Wong and Davis were invited to reapply. (federalregister.gov) (politico.com)