Well being secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s current look earlier than Congress raised eyebrows throughout the nation, principally due to his outlandish statements concerning the Covid-19 pandemic and his combative denials of the Trump administration’s efforts to limit vaccine entry for kids.
Nevertheless, a delicate alternate throughout his Senate Committee on Finance grilling reveals one other fable that lies on the coronary heart of Kennedy’s delusional well being care narrative. As I wrapped up questioning him about his troubling tenure, he made an absurd accusation that sums up his method to well being care in America: He believes he’s the one individual within the room to ever care about — or act on — the rise of persistent sickness in America.
On the subject of persistent sicknesses in kids, Kennedy has induced quite a lot of issues he has to reply for after solely about 200 days in workplace. Along with his help, congressional Republicans wrote and handed into regulation the most important lower to well being care in American historical past. That features virtually $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, which offers well being care to 37 million kids.
Kennedy is keen on the statistic that three-quarters of America’s younger individuals wouldn’t qualify for navy service on account of persistent well being points, quoting charges a lot larger than when his “uncle was president.” He would do nicely to recollect one other Sixties-era coverage aimed toward navy readiness: Medicaid’s early and periodic screening, prognosis, and therapy profit for kids.
This commonplace of care for kids coated by Medicaid is an important lifeline for American households strolling an financial tightrope to make sure their youngsters have the entry to prime quality and inexpensive well being care.
The newest Republican well being care cuts, backed by Kennedy, threaten thousands and thousands of youngsters’ entry to high quality well being care that stops persistent circumstances from growing within the first place. The large cuts in the remainder of the invoice will pressure states to cease funding many different priorities that target preserving kids wholesome and secure, like the house care advantages that enable kids with disabilities to stay at dwelling with their households and go to highschool.
Lastly, Kennedy is oblivious to what’s going on in his personal division to struggle persistent sickness.
A number of years in the past, the late Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and I got here collectively to start the transformation of Medicare, shifting this system’s focus from acute care like pneumonia or a damaged ankle to persistent sicknesses. Mr. Kennedy could not understand it, however half of Medicare sufferers have 4 or extra persistent sicknesses.
In our persistent care regulation, we made it simpler for sufferers to get social and medical well being care advantages, together with dwelling enhancements like wheelchair ramps, transportation to physician’s places of work, and residential supply of sizzling meals. The regulation additionally gave individuals on conventional Medicare and Medicare Benefit new decisions for well being care that helps handle particular persistent sicknesses. This paved the way in which for a significant growth of telehealth, which grew to become a crucial constructing block for the American well being care system through the Covid-19 pandemic and past. It’s a transformational step in the way in which the federal government’s flagship well being care program works for individuals who endure from persistent circumstances.
That regulation was an vital first step, however there’s extra work to be executed. The primary order of enterprise is repealing Republicans’ disastrous well being care cuts to Medicaid and the Reasonably priced Care Act. As for what comes subsequent, we’ll maintain working to make Medicare higher handle and deal with People’ persistent sicknesses.
The subsequent time Kennedy comes earlier than Congress, I hope he’ll take the time to study what others in public service are working towards to alleviate persistent sickness in America, somewhat than bringing speaking factors and deceptive statistics to make use of as a political cudgel.
Ron Wyden is a senator representing Oregon.
