The American Medical Association has expressed 'deep concern' to Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr over reported plans to overhaul the US Preventive Services Task Force, a panel that determines which preventive health measures, including cancer screenings, should be covered by insurance companies.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kennedy plans to overhaul the 40-year-old taskforce, which he reportedly regards as too 'woke', according to sources familiar with the matter. The taskforce issues recommendations for screenings including osteoporosis, intimate partner violence, HIV prevention, and depression in children.
In a letter to Kennedy on Sunday, the AMA defended the panel, stating: 'USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians’ efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients.' The AMA urged Kennedy to retain previously appointed members and commit to regular meetings to avoid disruption.
The Affordable Care Act requires public and private insurers to cover services recommended by the taskforce without cost sharing. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said no final decision has been made on how the taskforce can better support the 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative.
The reports follow an essay in the American Conservative accusing the taskforce of being 'packed with Biden administration appointees devoted to the ideological capture of medicine'. In response, 104 health organisations, including the AMA, urged congressional committees to protect the taskforce's integrity, warning that loss of trust would 'devastate patients, hospital systems, and payers'.
