Local health care representatives, coordinated by the organization Protect Our Care, publicized their objections to President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Robert Kennedy Jr. for the role of head of the federal Department of Health and Human Services. They appealed to West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Senator-elect Jim Justice, urging them to oppose Kennedy’s confirmation. Health care professionals in West Virginia have collaboratively voiced their concerns alongside a multitude of physicians and health experts nationwide, imploring the U.S. Senate to deny Trump’s nomination of Kennedy Jr. to administer the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
In a recent press conference organized by Protect Our Care – a nationwide nonprofit committed to safeguarding health care rights for all Americans, former state Delegate Barbara Fleischauer along with representatives of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy and West Virginia Citizen Action Group, vocalized their opposition to Kennedy’s confirmation. Kennedy, representing the esteemed Kennedy family and also being the founder of the anti-vaccine entity, Children’s Health Defense, has supported the disproven belief that vaccines are related to autism and notoriously labeled COVID-19 vaccines as a ‘crime against humanity.’ Moreover, he has insisted on eradicating fluoride from the country’s drinking water, despite countering expert views that emphasize its safety and efficacy in reducing dental decay.
The Department of Health and Human Services bears the responsibility for the federal government’s Medicaid and Medicare programs along with the federal health insurance marketplace. Collectively, these initiatives extend health care coverage to numerous West Virginians, tallying up to hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, Congress contemplates proposals that could potentially diminish the federal contribution to Medicaid.
The potential reduction in federal funding to Medicaid would lead to a $235 million deficit in West Virginia’s state budget and cause tens of thousands of its residents to lose health insurance coverage, voiced Maselli. Rhonda Rogombe, a health policy advisor for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, stressed the need for preserving Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act due to the health care coverage alternatives that they offer. She articulated that without these programs, hospitals would bear the burden of unsubsidized care which places undue pressure on our health care system and threatens the viability of one of our biggest industries, therefore negatively impacting people’s health and our local economy.
Nationally, this week witnessed a strong pushback against the potential confirmation of Kennedy, as over 15,000 physicians co-signed a letter to the U.S. Senate calling for a rejection of his nomination to health secretary, as reported by NBC News. The executive director of the American Public Health Association voiced his disagreement with Kennedy’s nomination, asserting that the nation deserves better.
The sentiment was echoed by Mindy Holcomb, a patient advocate for Citizen Action Group, who firmly stated that Kennedy is not suitable for directing the nation’s health care system. Emphasizing her organization’s focus on preserving Medicaid, she stated that in West Virginia many vulnerable individuals with compromised health conditions are at risk if vaccination rates decline. This she argued would make the Affordable Care Act [ACA], Medicaid, and Medicare even more crucial for health care provisions in the region, given a large section of the West Virginian population’s dependency for healthcare coverage.
Kennedy’s stance on vaccines has previously led to devastating consequences. For instance, an outbreak of measles in 2019 on Samoa had been linked to him. He had visited Samoa prior to the outbreak, where he met with activists promoting alternative methods and encouraging locals to abstain from the measles vaccine.
In contrast, West Virginia is recognized for its strong health care policy laws which have successfully kept such outbreaks at bay. It stands among the five states that have no provision for religious or philosophical exemptions applicable to school vaccine requirements. Governor Jim Justice, the senator-elect last year, vetoed a bill that intended to ease the state’s stringent school vaccination requirements and proposed enabling private schools to devise their own regulations.
Health professionals highlight the role of high vaccination rates in supporting West Virginia’s commendable achievement of recording only a single measles case in the last decade and a half. The state’s health policy laws indicate how they have contributed to this success, despite the backdrop of emerging anti-vaxx movements across the country.
During her address, Holcomb strongly condemned the spread of incorrect information around health and vaccination, warning that this can endanger lives, particularly those of vulnerable groups such as children and elderly individuals. She voiced a strong hope that both Senator-elect Justice and Senator Capito would join the opposition to Kennedy’s nomination.
Her concerns are emblematic of a larger fear among health professionals about the implications a figure like Kennedy could have on the nation’s health care system. This is particularly true for West Virginia, a state that prided itself on its strong public health measures. The state’s track record in managing health crises has largely been due to its robust health care system, which may face unforeseen challenges if Kennedy is confirmed.
The threat of misinformation in the realm of healthcare is not to be underestimated. The statement ‘misinformation kills people’ is a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by false beliefs, particularly around the issue of vaccinations. This has severe implications for public health, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and young children, who are most at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The call to action is clear. Health care advocates are asking not only for the rejection of Kennedy’s nomination but also for the protection of significant and crucial health care programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act. Given the potential implications for health care in West Virginia and across the nation, the decision facing Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Sen.-elect Jim Justice could have far-reaching effects.