Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Struggles to Answer Questions on Medicare and Medicaid Logistics at Confirmation Hearing
During his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced criticism and confusion as he attempted to address questions on Medicare and Medicaid, two massive public health programs that cover over 150 million Americans. If confirmed as the next Health and Human Services Secretary, Kennedy would oversee these vital programs.
Kennedy’s struggles began during an extended exchange with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a doctor and chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which will hold his confirmation hearing on Thursday. Kennedy mistakenly stated that Medicare is a “fee for service” program, paid for by employer taxes, when in fact, over half of enrollees are in Medicare Advantage plans run by private insurers, which are paid by the government to care for beneficiaries. He also failed to mention that Medicare has multiple funding streams, including enrollee premiums and government support.
Kennedy also made statements about Medicaid, claiming it is fully funded by the federal government and has no fee-for-service payment model. However, in reality, Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and states, and while most Medicaid enrollees are in managed care plans run by private insurers, some remain in fee-for-service payment models.
Additionally, Kennedy expressed concerns that premiums and deductibles in Medicaid are too high, although in reality, only one state, Iowa, charges premiums to certain enrollees, and most states impose nominal copays for certain services. The federal government sets limits on the premiums and cost sharing that states can impose on enrollees.
Kennedy’s misstatements and misinformed responses raised concerns about his qualifications to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which would be responsible for overseeing these critical programs.
