Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., Jan. 30, 2025.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to guide the Department of Health and Human Services, gave the impression to be unfamiliar with fundamental elements of the Medicare and Medicaid programs Thursday during his second Senate confirmation hearing.
“You wish us to substantiate you to be accountable for Medicare, nevertheless it appears that you simply do not know the fundamentals of this program,” said Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of Latest Hampshire, after Kennedy struggled to reply a series of questions on Medicare before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
If confirmed, Kennedy will lead a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees a slew of federal health agencies. That features the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which manages government-funded health look after thousands and thousands of Americans, including seniors, disabled people and lower-income patients who depend on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Reasonably priced Care Act’s markets.
Kennedy, 71, stumbled when answering questions on Medicare and Medicaid during each of his confirmation hearings this week. He appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance on Wednesday.
Hassan, who sits on each panels, asked Kennedy on Thursday to elucidate what each a part of Medicare is. But he struggled to discover and explain the basic elements of this system, which provides coverage to older and disabled Americans.
When asked what Medicare Part A is for, Kennedy said it’s “mainly for primary care or physicians.” Hassan clarified that it’s coverage for seniors who receive inpatient care at hospitals.
Kennedy, when asked what Medicare Part B is, said it’s “for physicians and doctors.” Part B is coverage for a spread of medical services reminiscent of doctor visits, outpatient care, home health, certain medical supplies and preventive services.
When asked what Medicare Part C is for, Kennedy called it “the complete menu of all of the services – A, B, C and D.” Hassan noted that Part C can be generally known as Medicare Advantage, that are privately run plans contracted by Medicare. Those plans function an alternative choice to traditional Medicare plans.
Kennedy insisted that he “just explained the fundamentals” of this system, but Hassan said she needed to correct him on several things.
The Latest Hampshire senator also grilled Kennedy on his comments through the hearing on Wednesday, when he appeared to confuse Medicare with Medicaid.
The state-federal Medicaid program provides coverage to around 80 million Americans, including many low-income people. Republicans could goal Medicaid, which costs the federal government greater than $600 billion a yr, for funding reductions this yr to assist pay for tax cuts.
Kennedy on Wednesday described Medicaid as “fully paid for” by the federal government, although this system is funded by states as well.
On Thursday, Kennedy acknowledged that this system is jointly funded by the federal government and states, adding that he “misstated something” through the hearing Wednesday.
At the tip of that Wednesday hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the rating member of the Finance Committee, said Kennedy was “unprepared” and suggested he didn’t appear to know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid.
”My colleagues have been seeing back-and-forth between Medicare and Medicaid, and it is not clear which program you are using when,” Wyden said.
