Kennedy fires heads of task force that sets insurance coverage rules

HHS confirmed the immediate dismissal of two clinician chairs, John Wong and Esa Davis, from a health services task force. The letters stated the dismissals were administrative decisions not related to performance, following a review of current task force appointments. The letters said the step would protect the task force and preserve confidence in the continuity and durability of its work, and they invited the chairs to reapply to serve on the panel. The Supreme Court upheld the HHS secretary’s authority to remove and replace task force members. HHS postponed several recent panel meetings, and applications for new members opened and close on Saturday, with new terms starting in June. The task force has eight active members, and concerns were raised about potential political influence and reduced rigor in guidelines.

"The letters state the dismissals were an administrative decision unrelated to performance that followed a review of current task force appointments. "[T]he Department is taking this step to help protect the Task Force and preserve confidence in the continuity and durability of its work," the letters say. The letters invite the chairs to reapply to serve on the panel."

"State of play: Kennedy sent letters dated May 11 to John Wong, a professor and primary care clinician at Tufts University, and Esa Davis, a professor and primary care clinician at University of Maryland, stating that their appointments as chairs would conclude effective immediately. Wong's term was slated to last until mid-March 2027, and Davis's term until mid-March 2028."

"Context: The Supreme Court last year upheld the authority of the HHS secretary to remove and replace task force members. Kennedy's HHS has postponed the last several meetings of the panel. Applications for new members opened last month and close on Saturday, with terms for new members starting in June. The task force currently has eight active members."

"Aaron Carroll, president of AcademyHealth, told Axios that he's concerned about what the dismissals could mean for the future of the task force. "It could lead to political influence. It could lead to less rigor in the guidelines," he said. "It could lead to evidence being used or misused to not only make recommendations but determine what Americans get covered by insurance without copay, and what prevention they will or will not have.""

Read at Axios