September 05, 2025
HHS Secretary Grilled About Medicaid, CDC Firings, and Vaccines During Contentious Hearing
During a tense hearing on Thursday, members of the Senate Finance Committee pressed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on various pressing issues, including Medicare drug price negotiations, vaccine skepticism, recent firings at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Medicaid funding for rural hospitals.
“As the committee gathers today, the United States is in the midst of a health care calamity. The largest cuts to American health care in the history of our nation are approaching like an avalanche,” stated Ranking Member Ron Wyden (OR) during his opening remarks. He criticized Kennedy’s tenure, highlighting three main issues: chaos at federal health agencies, corruption benefiting Kennedy and his allies, and rising health costs for families.
Throughout the hearing, Secretary Kennedy declined to directly answer many questions, even suggesting—without evidence—that some committee members were “making things up” or acting as shills for pharmaceutical companies, which he frequently criticized during his testimony.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (NV) challenged Kennedy’s stance, pointing out the contradiction between his claims of opposing Big Pharma and his support for the Republican tax law, which provided significant benefits to the pharmaceutical industry by exempting certain drugs from Medicare price negotiations. “So my question to you, Mr. Secretary, is how do you justify claiming to take on Big Pharma while supporting a bill that shields drugs like Keytruda and other cancer drugs from Medicare negotiation?”
Kennedy expressed hesitance regarding Medicare drug price negotiations, stating that the program and the Inflation Reduction Act were “well-intentioned but poorly structured.” He struggled to provide specifics on how Medicare works, failing to clarify the expected increases in Part B and Part D premiums for enrollees next year or how he plans to reduce health care costs for seniors.
Sen. Peter Welch (VT) urged Secretary Kennedy to take decisive action to lower drug prices. “Senator Cortez Masto spoke about the legislation that would reverse the $5 billion handout to Big Pharma in the ‘One, Big Beautiful Bill.’ When I leave today with Senator Wyden, we will seek unanimous consent to pass our legislation that would restore price negotiation power,” Welch stated. “I ask you to put your policy and your body where your mouth is and join us in supporting that bill.”
Concerns regarding Medicaid funding for rural hospitals were voiced by several committee members, including Sen. Mark Warner (VA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT), and Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (ID). Kennedy inaccurately claimed that “there were no Medicaid cuts” in the new tax law, insisting that Republicans’ $50 billion rural hospital fund would suffice. However, experts have indicated that this fund will only cover about a third of the losses rural hospitals will face due to Medicaid cuts.
Senators also questioned Kennedy about the recent shakeups at the CDC, including his unprecedented decision to fire all 17 members from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replace them with individuals who have spread vaccine misinformation. They sought clarification on the circumstances surrounding his recent ouster of Former CDC Director Susan Monarez.
“Secretary Kennedy’s testimony only heightens our concerns over his ability to properly manage health care for seniors and all Americans,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “He’s putting our health insurance and care at risk. We urge him to focus on bringing down health care costs and support evidence-based science or promptly resign.”
