HHS fires USPSTF chair, vice chair

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed the top two leaders of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the expert panel whose recommendations help determine which screenings and preventive services insurers must cover without patient cost-sharing. Reuters reported on May 20 that Kennedy fired chair Dr. John Wong and vice chair Dr. Esa Davis in letters dated May 11. CNN and NPR reported the dismissals were part of a broader effort to remake the panel’s membership. The move comes as the task force has gone more than a year without meeting and with half of its 16 seats vacant. ### Who were the two officials Kennedy removed? Dr. John Wong is a professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Dr. Esa Davis is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, according to Reuters. Wong was serving as chair and Davis as vice chair of the task force when they received termination letters from Kennedy. Wong’s term had been set to run until March 2027, while Davis’ term was due to end in March 2028. (usnews.com) NPR reported that both doctors had many months left in their terms and that Kennedy described the removals as administrative rather than performance-related. Wong told Reuters that he and Davis had both reapplied to remain on the panel, but did so “with trepidation around the validity of the process.” (usnews.com) ### What does this task force actually control? The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is the federal panel that reviews evidence on preventive medicine and issues recommendations on services such as mammograms, colonoscopies, depression screening and lung cancer screening. Those recommendations are used to determine what preventive care Americans can receive at no out-of-pocket cost under the Affordable Care Act. (usnews.com) Aaron Carroll, chief executive of AcademyHealth, told NPR that people who receive screening mammograms, colonoscopies and other preventive services without cost-sharing do so because of the task force’s recommendations. Reuters reported that medical experts said Kennedy’s sidelining of the panel has delayed updates to guidance on cancer, heart disease and other conditions. (ktvz.com) ### What reason did Kennedy give for the firings? The May 11 letters said the terminations were administrative and were meant to “help protect the Task Force and preserve confidence in the continuity and durability of its work,” according to CNN. The letters also said the leaders were removed “to avoid uncertainty that could jeopardize the validity of future Task Force actions,” CNN reported. (wusf.org) Reuters reported that Kennedy’s correspondence also said HHS wants to implement “standard operating procedures” at the task force and protect its long-term credibility. NPR reported that Kennedy had criticized the panel in congressional testimony in April, calling it “lackadaisical and negligent for 20 years” and saying new members would be brought on with “a clear mission.” (ktvz.com) ### How does this fit into the broader overhaul? CNN reported that the administration is actively seeking new members for the task force and that its leaders would normally be involved in vetting candidates. Half of the 16 seats are unfilled, and the panel has not met for more than a year. Reuters reported that five volunteers’ terms expired in December and had not yet been filled. (usnews.com) An HHS notice published last month encouraged nominations from clinicians and researchers in fields including cardiology, oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, family medicine and health economics, Reuters and CNN reported. New members are expected to begin serving in July, CNN said, and applications are open through May 23. (ktvz.com) ### What gives Kennedy the power to do this? The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2025 that the health secretary has authority to appoint task force members and review the panel’s recommendations, according to Reuters, CNN and Politico. That ruling preserved the preventive-care coverage framework while confirming the secretary’s control over the panel’s membership. (usnews.com) May 23 is the current deadline for applications to the task force, and CNN reported the new members are expected to start in July. Wong and Davis were invited to reapply for seats on the panel Kennedy is now reshaping. (usnews.com)