RFK Jr. dismisses two senior aides from HHS in organizational restructuring
**Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Pushes for Change in U.S. Healthcare System**
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been vocal about what he calls "perverse incentives" in the American medical system. Kennedy argues that hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance firms profit when people remain sick or require ongoing treatment, rather than when they achieve sustained health.
In a recent Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, Kennedy explained his concerns, stating, "There’s so many perverse incentives that are built into our medical system now... They’re all making money from keeping us sick. It is just a fact of life" [1].
In response, Kennedy's HHS has pursued significant policy changes aimed at disrupting these incentives and reorienting the system towards value-based care, chronic disease prevention, and cost containment.
One of the key proposals is the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2026, which would tie physician reimbursement to new quality measures, reduce wasteful use of medical products, and introduce payment models focused on chronic disease management [2][5]. Kennedy emphasized that these changes would modernize CMS payment systems, eliminate perverse incentives, and harness better data to improve care for patients with chronic disease while protecting the future of hometown doctors [3][5].
The new rules also prioritise preventive services and care coordination, aiming to incentivize providers for keeping patients healthy rather than treating illness after it occurs [2][5]. Additionally, they target commonly abused billing practices in Medicare to reduce fraud and unnecessary spending [3][5].
Kennedy has also shown a willingness to reshape leadership within HHS agencies. Most notably, he fired all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), replacing them with a new, smaller panel—a move he justified as necessary to root out perceived corruption and align the committee with his vision for public health [1].
Here's a summary of Kennedy’s stance and actions:
| **Aspect** | **Kennedy’s View** | **Recent Actions** | |---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Perverse Incentives | Profit motives in healthcare lead to overtreatment and poor outcomes [1][4] | Proposed Medicare payment reforms to reward quality, prevention, and chronic disease management [2][3][5]| | Prevention vs. Treatment | Focus should shift to keeping patients healthy, not just treating illness [1][2] | New payment models incentivizing prevention and wellness [2][5] | | Leadership Changes | Believes in removing officials he deems corrupt or misaligned with his agenda [1] | Replaced entire ACIP committee at CDC [1] |
These policy initiatives and leadership changes have sparked debate among stakeholders. Some support Kennedy's efforts to reform the healthcare system, while others express concerns about the potential impact on patient care and the industry as a whole.
This article was published by our website Digital and can be accessed via the website's app. Alec Schemmel and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
[1] Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, 14 May 2025. [2] Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2026, CMS, 2025. [3] Remarks by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Medicare payment reform, HHS, 1 October 2025. [4] Interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CBS This Morning, 15 May 2025. [5] Fact sheet: HHS's Medicare payment reform proposals, HHS, 1 October 2025.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s stance on American healthcare reform recommends moving away from perverse incentives that prioritize profit over patient health.
- In a bid to enact his vision, Kennedy has instituted policy changes within the HHS, such as proposing modifications to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2026 aiming to reward quality, prevention, and chronic disease management.
- Kennedy's reforms also seek to prioritize preventive services, wellness, and care coordination, as well as targeting fraudulent billing practices within Medicare to reduce unnecessary spending.
- Notably, Kennedy has reshaped leadership within HHS agencies, notably replacing all members of the CDC's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, citing perceived corruption and misalignment with his vision for public health.
