Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, came under sharp questioning from Democrats and some Republicans at his confirmation hearings this week before two Senate committees.
Of particular interest were the doubts about Kennedy’s qualifications and past anti-vaccination positions raised by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is a physician — and, notably, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is expected to vote next week on whether to advance Kennedy’s nomination to the Senate floor.
Meanwhile, a federal government memo temporarily freezing a lot of federal grant and loan funding touched off confusion and recriminations at the new Trump administration for its sudden, sweeping actions. This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet. Among the takeaways from this week’s episode: Also this week, Rovner interviews Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor, who explains how the federal regulatory system is supposed to operate to make health policy.
Subscribe to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: 404 Media’s “ ,” by Jason Koebler. ProPublica’s “ ,” by Mary Hudetz and Hannah Bassett.
CBS News’ “ ,” by Mackenzie Lofgren. Also mentioned in this week’.