RFK Jr.’s Ambiguous Stance on Medicaid Cuts During Confirmation Hearing
During his confirmation hearing on January 29th to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refrained from clearly stating whether he would support reductions in Medicaid funding. This ambiguity arises as the House Republicans contemplate substantial budget cuts.
If confirmed, Kennedy would be responsible for overseeing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers the nation’s two largest health insurance programs.
Kennedy was questioned by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) about his stance on potential Medicaid cuts. Although Luján asked twice, Kennedy’s response was non-committal, emphasizing collaboration with President Donald Trump to improve Medicaid but stopping short of specifying whether this would involve funding cuts. The full exchange can be viewed here.
This comes at a time when House Republicans are eyeing a $2.3 trillion reduction in Medicaid funding to finance various Trump administration projects, such as increasing deportations and extending tax cuts for the affluent, as reported by Punchbowl News here.
The Medicaid program faced temporary service disruptions on January 28th due to a federal grant freeze imposed by the Office of Budget and Management. While Medicaid was subsequently exempted from the freeze, the entire order was rescinded on January 29th after significant public backlash, as detailed by The New York Times here.
Medicaid currently provides health insurance to more than 72 million low-income Americans, with approximately 12 million also enrolled in Medicare.
In an interaction with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kennedy appeared to lack understanding of Medicaid’s funding structure, incorrectly asserting that it is solely federally funded. The program actually relies on both state and federal contributions, as noted by The New York Times here.
Kennedy commented, “Most people who are on Medicaid are not happy. The premiums are too high. The deductibles are too high.” However, most Medicaid recipients do not pay premiums. A KFF poll indicates that at least 80% of Medicaid recipients view their coverage favorably as of January 2025.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a lawyer and environmental activist, has a controversial past, including his advocacy for vaccine skepticism and involvement in conspiracy theories. He ran for president in 2024, initially as a Democrat and later as an independent, before ending his campaign and endorsing Trump in August 2024. Trump nominated him for the DHS role on November 15th.
Adding to the controversy, Kennedy’s cousin, Caroline Kennedy, sent a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to oppose his nomination, labeling him a power-hungry “predator.”
The Trump transition team spokesperson has not yet commented on this situation.
