January 2025

Learn more about Protect Our Care’s “Hands Off Medicaid” campaign here.

From California to New York, Democratic lawmakers and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care to tell Republicans to tell Congress that Medicaid cuts must be off the table as Republicans negotiate a budget reconciliation package. Republicans want to slash Medicaid funding in order to pay for their tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, even though over two-thirds of Democrats, Republicans, and independents are opposed to Medicaid cuts. 

Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country, providing health care to more than 70 million Americans. Cuts to the program would mean ripping away health care from millions of families who count on it, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, workers whose employers don’t provide health insurance, and people with disabilities. The consequences of any cuts to Medicaid would touch nearly every household in America. 

NATIONAL HEADLINES

Bloomberg: Republicans Want the Poor to Pay for Trump’s Tax Cuts

• There are a lot of known unknowns about exactly how Republicans will approach the major tax and spending issues facing the new Congress. But one thing is clear: Low-income Americans are going to be in the crosshairs. A “menu” of potential cuts developed by House Republicans proposes somewhere north of $5 trillion in spending reductions, the vast majority coming out of the pockets of the most vulnerable. The biggest item on the list is $2.3 trillion in proposed Medicaid cuts.

Salon: Republican Plans to Cut Medicaid Could Cost 22 Million Americans Their Health Care

• Even changes short of elimination could kick many people off the program. According to an analysis of proposed cuts from the Democratic National Committee, shared with Salon, proposals to curb Medicaid expansion alone — which extends coverage to Americans with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty line — could drive nearly 22 million people off the program.

The Hill: Democrats: Americans’ Health on the Line if Medicaid Scaled Back

• “The state-by-state breakdown shows that gutting the program would involve decimating rural communities across the country,” the analysis reads. Ten states have not expanded Medicaid, as is allowed under the Affordable Care Act. 

 

New York Times: House G.O.P. Floats Medicaid Cuts and More to Finance Trump’s Huge Agenda

• One option floated by the committee would try to undercut the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, which led to a ballooning in program enrollment. It would reduce the share of Medicaid costs the federal government pays for, increasing the burden on states.

IN THE STATES

CALIFORNIA

• Politico: A Healthy Spend

Friday, January 31 – Medicaid Event with Representative Judy Chu and Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula: US Rep Judy Chu and patient advocate Naida Tushnet joined Protect Our Care CA to discuss the GOP’s plan to slash trillions from Medicaid. “Medicaid is a lifeline for more than 80M Americans including more than 14M on Medi-Cal in California. It’s a crucial safety net for people of all ages,” said Congressmember Chu. “But President Trump and Republicans are determined to slash Medicaid funding in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations…In fact the Trump administration issued a disastrous memo earlier this week instructing federal agencies to pause all federal funding which resulted in all 50 states getting locked out of their Medicaid portal. Thank goodness this order was blocked by a federal judge and later rescinded, but we must stay vigilant.” You can view the full event here, and learn more about the GOP threat to Medicaid here. 

IDAHO

Thursday, January 30—Medicaid Defense Event with Idaho State Senator James Ruchti and Idaho Health Care Advocates: Senator James Ruchti and Luke Mayville, Executive Director of Reclaim Idaho, joined Protect Our Care Idaho to discuss Congress’s plan to slash trillions from Medicaid. Through block granting, lifetime caps, and other draconian reporting measures, those at the top want to take away health care from millions of people who rely on it to hand out $4.6 trillion in tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. Speakers also discussed how these cuts will hurt Idaho families, jeopardize hospital funding, and strain the state budget. “Our rural hospitals and medical providers are already struggling under extreme financial strain and our communities have a difficult time keeping providers. The loss of any portion of Medicaid funding would cause many to close their doors, meaning Idahoans in rural communities would have to travel even further to get the care they need,” said Senator James Ruchti (D-29). You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

IOWA

Monday, January 27 – Constituent Meeting with Senator Joni Ernst Health Care Staffer Emily Covey: A group of five constituents joined Protect Our Care Iowa to discuss the GOP’s plan to slash trillions from Medicaid with Senator Joni Ernst’s staff. “Senator Ernst needs to know that we don’t WANT her to protect Medicaid funding. We NEED her to,” said Iowa disability rights advocate Zach Mecham. “Without Medicaid, people die,” Mecham said. “It’s not just a program on a budget sheet. For many of us, it is the difference between isolation and participation in society, and it provides essential resources for survival, dignity, and independence.” You can view the post-event release here.

MICHIGAN

Wednesday, January 29 — Medicaid Event with State Senator Jeff Irwin and Health Care Advocates: Michigan Senator Jeff Irwin and health care professionals joined Protect Our Care Michigan to call on President Trump and Congress to protect Medicaid from devastating cuts and ensure Michiganders can continue to get health care that saves lives and improves health. The appeal to prevent Medicaid cuts comes as Republicans consider a proposal to pay for tax cuts for America’s richest people, including slashing up to $2.3 trillion from Medicaid, which provides health care to more than 2.9 million Michigan adults and children in low-income households. “Medicaid keeps families and communities stronger, and we urge President Trump and Congress to protect this vital lifeline from cuts,” said Dr. Farhan Bhatti, CEO of Care Free Medical in Lansing and a longtime family physician. “Doctors and medical professionals see firsthand, every day in our clinics and exam rooms, how access to affordable, quality health care directly benefits our patients and the families we serve. When people can see a doctor without worrying about going broke, they are more likely to be healthier and more productive.” You can view the post-event release here, and watch the full event here.

• WWMT CBS: Potential Medicaid cuts spark concern for rural and low-income Michiganders
• Michigan Advance: Michigan Dem blasts Trump White House as ‘reckless’  

NEW YORK

Thursday, January 30—Medicaid Defense Event with Congressman Jerry Nadler, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, and New York Health Care Advocates: Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) joined Protect Our Care New York to discuss the GOP’s plan to slash trillions from Medicaid. Through block granting, lifetime caps, and other draconian reporting measures, Republicans want to take away health care from millions of people who rely on it in order to hand out $4.6 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthy. “Despite campaigning for months on the promise of lowering costs for working families and making America ‘Healthy Again,’ it’s clear that Republicans intend to do the exact opposite – by enacting policies that will make millions of Americans sicker, poorer and more likely to die from preventable illnesses, all so they can pass almost $5 million in tax cuts for their billionaire donors,” said Congressman Nadler. “Medicaid provides access to health care to so many working class people, mixed-status families, single moms, seniors—everyone that’s not making ends meet must rely on Medicaid,” said Congressman Espaillat. “Trump wants to take our Medicaid. We’ve got to fight back. We must do everything we can to protect it.” You can watch the event here, and view the post-event release here.

• Politico New York Playbook: ‘Fired up and ready to go!’  

VIRGINIA

• VPM: Lawmakers aim to protect Medicaid expansion for thousands of Virginians

Thursday, January 30 – Medicaid Event with Senator Creigh Deeds and Health Care Advocates: Senator Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville)  joined The Commonwealth Institute, SEIU Virginia State Council and Protect Our Care Virginia to discuss Congressional Republicans’ plan to slash trillions from Medicaid. Virginia is one of nine states with a trigger law that will automatically disenroll the entire Medicaid expansion population (more than 600,000 Virginians, or roughly 7% of the state) if federal Medicaid reimbursement levels for that population drop below the current 90%. “Over 600,000 people are at risk of losing health care because of this irresponsible act,” said Senator Creigh Deeds. “It is a federal responsibility. We’ve got to hold their feet to the fire and make sure that the federal government addresses this, but this is something that will affect real Virginians and people we care about.” You can watch the event here.

• Richmond-Times Dispatch: Virginia Dems warn of stark choice if GOP cuts Medicaid (full text viewable here)
• Roanoke Times: Virginia Dems warn of stark choice if GOP cuts Medicaid (full text viewable here)
• WVTF: What happens if Medicaid is cut? Virginia lawmakers aren’t waiting to find out
• Virginia Mercury: Virginia Medicaid recipients on edge as GOP weighs cuts
• NBC29: State Senator Deeds calls for Medicaid protections

WEST VIRGINIA

Friday, January 24 – Medicaid Event with West Virginia Health Care Advocates: West Virginia health care advocates Ellen Allen of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, Kaylen Payne of Planned Parenthood, and patient advocate Rusty Williams joined Protect Our Care West Virginia to discuss the GOP’s plan to slash trillions from Medicaid what what this would mean for West Virginians’ access to routine, emergency, and maternal care. “Our state is currently confronting an unprecedented maternal and infant health crisis impacting patients in all 55 counties,” said Kaylen Payne, Maternal Health Policy Analyst for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. “Currently, living in this reproductive health desert, many of the pregnant and postpartum people who access care either do so through Medicaid or Title X. If Medicaid is gutted in the way the Trump and Morrisey administrations have signaled they plan to do, pregnant, postpartum people and newborns will continue to suffer; and an already quickly deteriorating problem will become catastrophic.” You can view the post-event release here and watch the full event here.

• West Virginia Watch: West Virginia health care advocates decry proposed cuts to Medicaid
• Register-Herald: West Virginia health care advocates decry proposed cuts to Medicaid
• AOL.com: West Virginia health care advocates decry proposed cuts to Medicaid  

Thursday, January 30 – West Virginia Watch Op-Ed by Ellen Allen on Why Medicaid Must be Protected: Protect Our Care West Virginia placed an opinion piece in West Virginia Watch by West Virginians for Affordable Health Care executive editor Ellen Allen on how Medicaid is an essential form of health care for both West Virginians and all Americans, and cutting funding for this critical, popular coverage would be devastating for the state. Allen explains, “Fewer dollars mean fewer resources for low-income families, people with disabilities, pregnant women and others who rely on Medicaid for health coverage. The state’s going to lose funding for all those people who lose coverage. Even though these poorer states spend less per resident on Medicaid, their federal reimbursement rate is relatively high, and so the impact of federal cuts is large. Gutting Medicaid will take health care away from hardworking families across West Virginia, instead of helping them — they deserve better, and it is within our power to do so.” You can read the full op-ed here.  

WISCONSIN

Wednesday, January 29 – Medicaid Event with Congresswoman Gwen Moore, State Senator Latonya Johnson, and Health Care Advocates: U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Wisconsin State Senator LaTonya Johnson and a group of advocates joined Protect Our Care Wisconsin to warn what’s at stake if the Trump Administration and Republican Congress move forward with their plan to slash trillions from Medicaid. “We are very, very concerned (about threats to Medicaid),” said Congresswoman Moore, citing concerns about the future of community health centers, for nursing homes, and existing protections for unemployment compensation for those who deliver services to beneficiaries. “From cradle to grave, Medicaid has an impact on everybody,” added Moore. You can view the post-event here.

• WITI: Democratic lawmakers host roundtable on health care
• WITI: Concern the Trump administration proposes slashing health care benefits from Wisconsinites
• Wisconsin Examiner: Lawmakers again propose extending postpartum Medicaid

 

RFK Jr. Refused Repeatedly to Acknowledge That Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism and Failed to Answer Basic Questions About America’s Health Care System

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had another disastrous confirmation hearing yesterday, and now his nomination to serve as Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS) is in deep jeopardy. Before the Senate HELP Committee, RFK Jr. refused multiple times to acknowledge that vaccines do not cause autism, opting instead to prey on the fears of parents and families. He also failed to answer basic questions about our health care system and programs like Medicare, further proving his complete lack of qualifications to lead HHS. He even lied about his own past claims that Lyme disease was “highly likely” created as a military bioweapon. His two confirmation hearings this week have only made it more clear that Kennedy’s nomination poses a grave threat to the health and well-being of the American people.

IN THE NEWS: 

Washington Post: RFK Jr. Tries to Convince Skeptical Senators That He Won’t Undermine Vaccines. 

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday struggled to answer questions about Medicare, refused to rule out a debunked link between autism and vaccines, and said he would entertain conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, in a second day of hearings as he tries to convince the Senate to confirm him as the nation’s top health official.”

Politico: Bill Cassidy Offered RFK Jr. An Out. He Didn’t Take It. 

• “If Kennedy were to pursue even a fraction of the policy agenda he espoused as an activist — before Trump named him to lead HHS in November after winning the election, which was preceded by Kennedy dropping his own presidential bid and endorsing Trump — it would upend HHS and the public health system.”
• “‘Our expectations for RFK Jr. were already on the floor, but he showed all of America today why his nomination poses a grave threat to Americans’ health and well-being,’ said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Democratically aligned Protect Our Care, an advocacy group that has spent more than $1 million campaigning against Kennedy’s confirmation.”

The Hill: GOP Chair ‘Struggling’ With RFK Jr. Nomination After Hearing.

• “Senate Health Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said at the end of Thursday’s hearing he is ‘struggling’ with whether to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary. Cassidy, a physician, pleaded multiple times for Kennedy to publicly declare that vaccines don’t cause autism. ‘That would have an incredible impact,’ Cassidy said. But Kennedy wouldn’t do it, saying only that if the evidence proved otherwise, he would apologize for past comments suggesting a link. Cassidy noted Kennedy has a ‘megaphone’ and chastised him for using it to sow doubt about vaccines. ‘A worthy movement called MAHA,’ Cassidy told Kennedy at the conclusion of the three-hour hearing. ‘To improve the health of Americans, or to undermine it, always asking for more evidence, never accepting the evidence that is there? That is why I have been struggling with your nomination.’”

Mother Jones: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Is Trying to Hide Who He Is.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings to become Secretary of Health and Human Services could have been a window into Kennedy’s beliefs and how he’d run one of the largest departments in the U.S. government. Instead, Kennedy spent much of the two days he was questioned before two different Senate committees denying his past comments, obfuscating his long record as an anti-vaccine activist, and, in some cases, flatly denying things he’s previously said publicly.”

STAT: At Confirmation Hearing, RFK Jr. Refuses To Say That Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to confirm to senators that he believes vaccines do not cause autism during his confirmation hearing Thursday. … There are more than a dozen studies showing that vaccination is not associated with autism, including studies specifically focused on the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; studies focused on the mercury-containing ingredient thimerosal; and studies focused on the question of whether getting too many vaccines results in a higher risk of autism. All of them show that the shots do not increase rates of autism.”

Los Angeles Times: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Refuses To Reject Falsehoods About Vaccines And Autism In Confirmation Hearing.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s long record of questioning the safety of childhood vaccinations persisted as a flash point for him Thursday during a confirmation hearing where a key Republican quickly raised concerns about his views. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, opened the hearing with tough questions for Kennedy. He asked him to reject a long-discredited theory that vaccines cause autism. Kennedy refused to flatly do so.”

CNBC: RFK Jr. Stumbles Over Basics of Medicare, Medicaid During Senate Confirmation Hearings.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, appeared to be unfamiliar with fundamental elements of the Medicare and Medicaid programs Thursday during his second Senate confirmation hearing. … he struggled to identify and explain the fundamental aspects of [Medicare], which provides coverage to older and disabled Americans.”

ABC News: Kennedy Stumbles Over Medicare Questions.

• “Kennedy incorrectly said Medicare Part A was mainly for primary care or physicians. In fact, Medicare A covers inpatient care in hospitals, critical access hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. He failed to describe what Medicare Part B is, which covers medically necessary services and supplies, and preventive services.”

The New York Times: Is the HPV Vaccine Safe? Yes, Despite Kennedy’s Criticisms.

• “Amid a tense line of questioning during the first day of confirmation hearings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would keep his financial stake in pending litigation centered on Gardasil, a vaccine meant to prevent cervical cancer, which can be caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV. On Thursday, under questioning by Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, Mr. Kennedy declined to disavow comments he had made disparaging the vaccine as unsafe and as something that no parent should give to a child. (Unexpectedly, he also seemed to assert that he had surrendered his financial stake in the litigation.) Mr. Kennedy has often singled out Gardasil in his critiques of vaccines, suggesting that its ingredients increase the risk of cancer, lead to autoimmune conditions and may be responsible for a rise in mental illness. The Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit co-founded by Mr. Kennedy, called the vaccine ‘one of the most dangerous vaccines ever approved.’”
• “But the vaccine is also remarkably effective at preventing cancer — roughly 97 percent effective in preventing cervical cancer, and nearly 100 percent effective in preventing external genital warts. […] But current studies show that HPV vaccines cause ‘no increased risk’ of chronic fatigue syndrome and do ‘not support a causal link’ between Gardasil and POTS.”

Healthcare Dive: RFK Jr. Fumbles Medicare Basics During Second Confirmation Hearing.

• “It’s the second time in two days that Kennedy has appeared confused about the massive insurance program, which covers more than 66 million Americans. During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday, Kennedy also fumbled questions about Medicaid. He incorrectly stated the safety-net program was fully funded by the federal government — although he acknowledged his mistake during Thursday’s hearing.If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee the department that includes the CMS, which provides coverage to 160 million people with Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act exchanges.”

MedPage Today: RFK Jr. Wrong on Medicare, Medicaid During Senate Confirmation Hearing.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statements before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday revealed a concerning lack of knowledge about the major health programs he’d oversee, should he be confirmed as HHS secretary. On several occasions during the 3.5-hour hearing, Kennedy seemed to conflate Medicare, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage, and appeared to mistakenly refer to the Affordable Care Act health exchanges.” 

Scripps News: RFK Jr. Senate Hearings Conclude As Future Of His Confirmation Remains Uncertain.

• “Kennedy, appearing Thursday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee was again pressed on his stances — some controversial — particularly regarding things like vaccines and vaccine efficacy. While much of the criticism Thursday came from Democrats, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy — who is chairman of the committee and a physician — also took aim at Kennedy’s past statements. He brought up a personal story about a young woman who was experiencing liver failure from a hepatitis infection, and partially blamed it on Kennedy for promoting the idea that Americans should be skeptical of vaccines. ‘It was the worst day of my medical career because I thought $50 of vaccines could have prevented [that woman from experiencing liver failure],’ Cassiday [sic] said. He then pressed Kennedy on whether he would reassure Americans that vaccines for things like Hepatitis B do not cause autism. Kennedy did not, instead saying he would ‘if the data is there.’”

CNN: Senator Challenges RFK Jr.’s False Vaccine Claims In Emotional Speech.

• “In a personal and impassioned speech, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) revealed to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. her own struggle with her son’s health and the fears she had about Kennedy’s continued questioning of what has been settled science on vaccines. RFK Jr. is President Trump’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Health and Human services and has repeatedly questioned the safety of vaccines.”

Barrons: Powerful Republican Takes Aim at R.F.K. Jr.’s Vaccine Views in Senate Hearing

• “Kennedy has downplayed his history of advocating against vaccines since President Donald Trump nominated him to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and during a hearing on Wednesday before the Senate’s finance committee he acknowledged he had vaccinated his own children.”
• “In a series of questions asked after opening statements, Cassidy asked if Kennedy would tell parents that the measles and hepatitis b vaccines do not cause autism. Kennedy has said that vaccination causes autism, despite an expert consensus that they do not.”

MSNBC: At Confirmation Hearing, RFK Jr. Trips Over His Ignorance

• “Headed into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first Senate confirmation hearing, many observers expected the longtime conspiracy theorist to face tough questions about his many outlandish ideas — and he did… What was not altogether expected, however, was to see the HHS nominee struggle badly with the basics of the American health care system, which Kennedy would be in a position to oversee. … One need not be a health care policy wonk, intimately familiar with granular and obscure details, to be aware of these facts. Indeed, this is the kind of basic information one would assume that an HHS nominee would already know. Kennedy, however, tripped over his ignorance.”

Reuters: Kennedy Accused Of ‘Misleading’ Vaccine Arguments By Republican Senator.

• “‘Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me,’ Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician from Louisiana, told Kennedy. ‘I have constituents who partly credit you for their decision to not vaccinate their child.’ The hearing was the second in two days for Kennedy during which he squared off with Democrats and some Republicans over his past comments on vaccines, abortion and COVID-19 among other topics.”
• “Kennedy has said that vaccines are linked to autism, and he opposed state and federal restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The causes of autism are unclear, though theories that childhood vaccines cause autism have been widely debunked and are contrary to scientific evidence.”

E&E News: RFK Jr. Offers Conflicting Views On Lyme Disease.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told senators Thursday that he ‘never believed’ that Lyme disease was created as a biological weapon. But almost exactly a year ago — in January 2024 — the Health and Human Services nominee hosted an entire episode of his podcast dedicated to ‘Bioweapons and Lyme Disease.’ On the episode, Kennedy hosted author Kris Newby, who had recently published a book called ‘Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons.’ Together, they promoted a false conspiracy theory that the tick-borne illness was cooked up in a military lab off the coast of Long Island, New York, in the 1950s.”

HuffPost: Senators Take RFK Jr. To Task Over His Vaccine Safety Dodge.

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said over and over again that he is not against vaccines, despite his long record of spreading vaccine misinformation. Addressing senators wary of confirming him to be secretary of health and human services, Kennedy has claimed he simply wants to promote safety and transparency ― that, if the evidence shows vaccines are safe, he will support them. But the answer is a dodge, because it implies there’s an active scientific debate over vaccine safety. There is not. On Thursday, a group of senators questioning Kennedy made that clear.”

CBS News: Kennedy Pressed On Measles Outbreak In American Samoa.

• “Sen. Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, pressed Kennedy on a trip he made to American Samoa, in which Kennedy reportedly expressed skepticism toward vaccines. Kennedy’s 2019 visit to Samoa has recently brought fresh attention to his history of activism focused on raising questions about the safety and effectiveness of the measles vaccine — because his trip came just months before a devastating measles outbreak that claimed 83 lives, many of them young children.”

CBS News: RFK Jr. Struggles To Answer Whether He Stands By Past Statements That HPV Vaccine Increases The Risk Of Cervical Cancer.

• “Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington brought up Kennedy’s past statements in which Murray said Kennedy called the human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine dangerous and defective. The vaccine has been proven to significantly lower women’s risk of cervical cancer. Murray asked Kennedy if he stands by those past statements.  Kennedy said he brought litigation on behalf of girls who believed the HPV vaccine harmed them.”

Daily Beast: RFK Jr. Confronted About Refusal to ‘Take Sides’ on 9/11.

• “Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine hammered Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his former comments that he ‘won’t take sides on 9/11’ during a heated confirmation hearing on Thursday. … Kennedy refused to back down from his stance, responding: ‘Senator, I haven’t investigated it. Things I investigate, I take sides on.’”

RFK Jr.’s Nomination in Shambles Following Hearings on Capitol Hill 

As RFK Jr. lies his way through his confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, doctors, nurses experts, and advocates have rallied across the country in opposition to his nomination to lead HHS. For years, Kennedy has spouted dangerous anti-vaccination beliefs — including the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism — and he has spread baseless lies that have had a direct impact on people’s health. He has said “There is no vaccine that is safe or effective” and called to defund lifesaving research on treatments and cures to deadly diseases. He lacks basic knowledge about the programs he would be responsible for leading, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. Headlines from Alaska to Maine show just how dangerous RFK Jr. is for the health and well-being of the American people. 

HEADLINES

ALASKA

Anchorage Daily News: Opinion: RFK Jr.’s Anti-vaccine Rhetoric Is a Threat to Public Health. Alaska’s Children Deserve Better

• It is as clear in our state’s history as it is in the patients we see every day — when our communities are vaccinated, they are healthier. Unfortunately, over the years, much misinformation has been said about the safety of vaccines. 
• Kennedy is a longtime anti-vaccine activist and has made repeated false claims about vaccines. Almost universally, health experts are concerned that he, his rhetoric and his proposed policies will contribute to lower vaccination rates and lead to disease outbreaks. 

IOWA

Des Moines Register: Letter to the Editor: Fmr State Rep John Forbes: If Kennedy Takes Over Health Department, Americans Will Die

• If President Donald Trump gets his way, the head of HHS, the agency designed to “improve the health, safety, and well-being of America,” would be a man so opposed to facts and science, that our nation may face a deadly resurgence of childhood illnesses like polio and measles.

Iowa City Press Citizen: Letter to the Editor: Oppose Withdrawal From the World Health Organization and HHS Nominations

• Furthermore, President Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for the top health-related position in U.S. government, Secretary of Health and Human Services. Mr. Kennedy has a long history of fighting the development and availability of vaccines and has said he will steer federal research dollars away from infectious disease. David Weldon, nominated to head the Centers for Disease Control, is another vaccine critic.

MAINE

Portland Press Herald: Opinion: RFK Jr.’s Confirmation Will Threaten Mainers’ Lives

• We know the kind of damage that will be done and the lives that will be lost if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is put in charge of our health care system because we’ve seen it in action. Kennedy has a well-documented history of opposing lifesaving vaccines, and he has pledged to stop funding research for treatments and cures for deadly diseases. Yet Kennedy is nominated to run the Department of Health and Human Services — and Sen. Collins has said it’s premature to take a position on his nomination.

Bangor Daily News: Opinion: Robert Kennedy Is the Wrong Person for the Job When People’s Health Is on the Line

• Not only is Kennedy inexperienced, but his ideas are dangerous and antithetical to the purpose of HHS — keeping Americans healthy. 
• Under his leadership, it could lead to a deadly resurgence in childhood illnesses like measles and polio. America would become deeply unprepared to respond to serious health threats and it would impede the development of new treatments for serious diseases like cancer. A delay in finding treatments or cures could mean life or death for thousands. 

Maine Public: Protect Our Care Maine Urges U.S. Senators to Oppose RFK Jr. Nomination

• Shagoury said vaccines are important for the health of Maine people and for the state’s economy. “If there were an outbreak of a major disease like measles or the one that really terrifies me is polio, imagine the impact that would have on our tourist industry,” he said. Graham said Kennedy is completely unqualified for the position, due to his lack of medical and governmental experience.

Maine Morning Star: State Lawmakers Say Health Secretary Nominee RFK Jr. Would Threaten Public Health in Maine

• The pair, who both sit on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, criticized Kennedy’s lack of medical or public health experience, plans to cut funding to research organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, and warned Mainers that his appointment would have adverse effects on the state’s public health.

Spectrum News: Group of Maine Lawmakers Protest Potential RFK Jr. Cabinet Nomination

• Graham said she genuinely worries about extreme measures such as vaccines being outlawed under Kennedy. “We cannot go back to having a world of infectious disease, and the bottom line is, vaccines work.”

MICHIGAN

The ‘Gander: Opinion: RFK Jr.’s opposition to vaccines disqualifies him from leading the nation’s health agency

• HHS is an agency designed to “improve the health, safety, and well-being of America.” Leaving this important department in the hands of someone who opposes vaccines would put Michiganders and our fellow Americans in danger of a deadly resurgence of illnesses like polio and measles.  The risk is real. 

MINNESOTA

KVRR: Attorney General Keith Ellison and Protect Our Care Minnesota Raise Concerns Over RFK Jr. Nomination

• Ellison believes Kennedy’s priorities are not for Minnesotans. “Yes there are great things we can do to make it even better, but we sure don’t want to make it worse. And that is why I’m on call with you all today because I believe it is all true, personnel is policy. And who you put in office will have a lot to do with how the policy is carried out,” said Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General.

KFGO: Minnesota AG, Healthcare Advocacy Group, Raise Concerns Over RFK Jr. Nomination

• Attorney General Keith Ellison and Protect Our Care Minnesota are concerned about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s views on vaccines and what they say is his disregard of science and public health. They believe if he were to take office, Minnesotans would be at risk of losing critical programs like the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid.

NEW YORK

New York Daily News: Opinion: Dr. Dara Kass: RFK Jr. Brings Huge Health Risks

• RFK Jr. will threaten the lives of New Yorkers. Kennedy will erode the public health institutions that keep Americans safe from infectious diseases and contaminated food, and he will put vital programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, at grave risk.

PENNSYLVANIA

City&State: Opinion: Why U.S. Sens. Fetterman, McCormick must vote ‘No’ on RFK Jr.

• As a nurse practitioner, researcher and state representative, I know how critical it is to have experienced and competent leadership to guide our nation’s health care system. President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has neither the experience nor competence to take on this immense national responsibility; confirming him will put Pennsylvanians’ health care and lives at serious risk.

WEST VIRGINIA

Appalachian Thymes: Opposing RFK Jr.’s HHS Nomination: West Virginia Joins National Call

• West Virginia’s high vaccination rates have been a cornerstone of its public health success, preventing outbreaks and protecting vulnerable populations. Advocates warn that Kennedy’s leadership could undermine these gains, particularly if his anti-vaccine rhetoric leads to declining immunization rates. For a state grappling with significant health challenges, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Charleston Gazette-Mail: Opinion: RFK Jr. Unfit to Run America’s Health System

• The consequences of this nomination will touch nearly every household in the nation. Not only does RFK Jr. have a long history of pushing dangerous and outlandish health-related conspiracy theories, but his inexperience puts vital programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, at risk. 

Charleston Gazette-Mail: Opinion: Senate Must Deny RFK Jr. Confirmation

• What I’ve since learned about his bizarre public health theories makes me very afraid that confirming him will result in a deadly resurgence of childhood illnesses like polio and measles. Kennedy’s anti-vaccination conspiracy theories already have had deadly consequences. Following his visit to Samoa in 2019, a catastrophic measles outbreak killed 83 people, primarily infants and children. 

WV Public Broadcasting: Local Healthcare Advocates Ask U.S. Senators To Reject RFK Jr.’s Nomination

• “It is more important than ever that we protect Medicaid, the ACA, Medicare and CHIP,” said Rhonda Rogombe, health policy analyst with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. “Instead of looking for ways to cut those programs, our leaders should be looking for ways to flex the power they have so that people can be as healthy as possible.”

West Virginia Watch: West Virginia Health Care Advocates Call On Senate to Reject RFK Jr. As Health Secretary

• Fleishauer said the Samoa outbreak in particular has scared her. “They had 83 children die,” she said. “This is a small island. Eighty-three innocent children died because they weren’t vaccinated.” West Virginia has some of the best health care policy laws in the country, she said, and they’ve helped the state avoid similar outbreaks. 
• “Misinformation kills people, especially children and the elderly. I really hope Sen. Justice and Capito both oppose his nomination,” she said. “I think it would be very bad for the state of West Virginia and very bad for our country.”

RFK Jr. Refused Repeatedly to Acknowledge That Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism, Preying on the Fears of Parents and Families. Nomination is Now in Deep Jeopardy 

Washington D.C. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the Senate HELP Committee today in a failed attempt to defend his anti-vaccine extremism and cover up his complete lack of qualifications to serve as HHS Secretary. His nomination is now in deep jeopardy. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“From Senator Cassidy’s first question where RFK Jr. refused to say vaccines do not cause autism through his total lack of knowledge of how the Medicare program works, his hearing in front of the HELP Committee was a disaster from start to finish. He spent hours lying and attempting to erase his history of anti-vaccine extremism and downplay his career built on pushing misinformation. He tried to defend his disproven position that vaccines cause autism and justify his comparison of the U.S. vaccine program to the Holocaust and pedophilia in the Catholic Church.

“During the hearing, RFK Jr. exposed himself as the liar, grifter, and conspiracy theorist he is and has always been. In addition to gaslighting each and every senator, RFK Jr. fumbled to explain the basics of Medicare and Medicaid — bedrock programs that provide millions and millions of Americans with health care. His answers were totally disqualifying, and his nomination is in serious jeopardy.”

Background:

• RFK Jr. Is Gaslighting Senators At Senate Finance Committee Hearing
• Disqualifying: RFK Jr. Refuses to Say Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism
• FACT CHECK: RFK Jr. Denies Deadly History of Lying About Measles Vaccinations
• RFK Jr.’s Nomination Is On the Verge of Collapse
• ROUNDUP: New Polling Shows the Majority of Americans Don’t Trust RFK Jr. to Lead Our Health Care System
• REPORT: RFK Jr. Is An Anti-Vaccine Extremist
• REPORT: Misinformation Kills: RFK Jr’s Deadly Visit To Samoa
• FACT SHEET: RFK Jr. Spread Conspiracy That Lyme Disease Came From a Military Bioweapon

During the Senate HELP Committee, when asked if he would recommend families vaccinate against the measles, RFK Jr. confirmed he would. This is at odds with his long history of anti-vaccine rhetoric and his direct role in a tragic measles outbreak in Samoa that killed 83 people, mostly children. Here’s the truth: 

83 People Died In A Measles Epidemic In Samoa After Kennedy Helped Fuel A Wave Of Vaccine Hesitancy. In 2019, Kennedy visited Samoa at the invitation of a local anti-vaccine influencer. At the time the island nation was attempting to get its vaccination program back on track after two children died following a nurse’s error in mixing measles vaccines. Kennedy met with the Samoan prime minister and prominent local anti-vaccine activists. A few months later, a measles epidemic broke out in Samoa, killing 83 people, mostly infants and children.

Kennedy Claimed That The Global Decline In Measles Cases Was Caused By “Nutrition And Clean Water, Not The Vaccine” And Questioned Whether The MMR Vaccine Is Necessary At All. In a 2019 address to Texans for Vaccine Choice shortly before his trip to Samoa, Kennedy discussed the cause of the global decline in measles outbreaks. “The drop in measles occurred before the vaccine was introduced,” Kennedy said “The thing that cured measles was nutrition and clean water, not the vaccine.” Kennedy questioned whether the MMR vaccine was necessary since tuberculosis and scurvy had been largely eradicated through similar methods without vaccines and he warned parents that pharmaceutical companies are “trying to get at your baby and force him to take their vaccines. And give him a lifetime dependency.” 

RFK Jr.’s Siblings Warned That His Anti-Vaccine Advocacy Was Spurring Global Outbreaks Of The Measles And Calling Him “Tragically Wrong About Vaccines.” In May 2019, shortly before his trip to Samoa, two of RFK Jr’s siblings and a niece authored an op-ed in Politico denouncing RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine advocacy as dangerous: “The World Health Organization reports a 300 percent increase in the numbers of measles cases around the world this year compared with the first three months of 2018. More than 110,000 people are now dying from measles every year. The WHO, the health arm of the United Nations, has listed vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019. Most cases of preventable diseases occur among unvaccinated children, because parents have chosen not to vaccinate, have delayed vaccination, have difficulty accessing vaccines, or the children were too young to receive the vaccines. These tragic numbers are caused by the growing fear and mistrust of vaccines—amplified by internet doomsayers. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—Joe and Kathleen’s brother and Maeve’s uncle—is part of this campaign to attack the institutions committed to reducing the tragedy of preventable infectious diseases. He has helped to spread dangerous misinformation over social media and is complicit in sowing distrust of the science behind vaccines.” 

In The Middle Of A Measles Outbreak In Minnesota’s Somali-American Community, Kennedy Told Parents That “Africans and African Americans May Be Particularly Vulnerable To Vaccine Injuries, Including Autism.” In 2017, amid a measles outbreak that was devastating Minnesota’s Somali-American community due to low vaccination rates, Kennedy continued to push his false claims that “science and anecdotal evidence suggest that Africans and African Americans may be particularly vulnerable to vaccine injuries including autism.”

During A Measles Outbreak In Southern California, Kennedy Falsely Claimed Nearly Half of The Cases Came From The Vaccine Strain of Measles – But No Outbreaks From The Vaccine Strain of Measles Have Ever Been Recorded. During a 2015 Measles outbreak in Anaheim, California, Kennedy lied about the outbreak supposedly being caused by vaccines, telling a crowd, “Where is the measles coming from in the Disneyland outbreak? 39 percent of the kids who got measles got vaccine strain measles. What does that mean? It means they got it from the vaccine or they got it from somebody who got the vaccine.” In reality, there have been no known breakout cases of the strain of measles used in the vaccine – ever. The CDC found all genotyped patients in the California outbreak had measles genotype B3, not the live attenuated strain used in the vaccine. Kennedy pulled those numbers out of thin air.

Kennedy Said That It Was A “Great Week” When He And His Siblings Had Measles And That Big Pharma Developed The MMR Vaccine To Create Lifetime Customers For Chronic Illnesses Caused By The Vaccine. In a 2021 interview with the Mikhaila Peterson podcast RFK Jr. said, “They are a rogue, outlaw industry that is making… And you know, listen, if they give you a measles vaccine… Listen, I had the measles when I was a kid. I had 11 brothers and sisters. We all got measles. It was a great week. We stayed home. We watched [inaudible]. We got soup. What is the cure for measles? The treatment for measles, it’s chicken soup and vitamin A. You can’t patent those. So pharma was seeing all these people who are sick and making no money. But if they give you an MMR vaccine and now one in every couple thousand people get the seizures and one in every thousand of them now has lifetime epilepsy, you now have a customer for life who’s paying a lot of money for chronic disease.” 

• Kennedy Said Measles, Mumps, And Chicken Pox Were “Self Limiting” And “Gone” After A Week, But Chronic Diseases Caused By Vaccines Are Causing People To Become “Addicted” To Pharmaceutical Treatments. Kennedy said on the Mikhaila Peterson podcast, “Every one of these childhood diseases – mumps, measles, chickenpox – were self-limiting. In other words, after a week they’re gone and they were all treatable. None of the chronic diseases that are caused by the vaccines are self-limiting. They’re treatable, the symptoms are treatable, but you’re addicted.” 

Read Protect Our Care’s Report on RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theories Here

Follow Protect Our Care’s Live Fact Checking of the Hearing Here

In his opening statement at his Senate HELP Committee confirmation hearing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doubled down on his lies from yesterday regarding his anti-vaccine record. For years, Kennedy has fueled disinformation and conspiracy theories about vaccinations that have had deadly consequences. He has been a leading anti-vaccine voice for decades, spreading false information about vaccines and autism that led to a full-blown measles outbreak in Samoa that killed 83 people, primarily infants and children. But we have the receipts: 

1. “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” [Lex Fridman Podcast #388, ‘Robert F. Kennedy Jr: CIA, Power, Corruption, War, Freedom, and Meaning’, 7/6/23, VIDEO]
2. “Our job is to resist and to talk about it to everybody…I see somebody on a hiking trail carrying a little baby and I say to him, ‘Better not get him vaccinated.’ And he heard that from me. If he hears it from 10 other people, maybe he won’t do it…” [The Way Forward with Alec Zeck, ‘HFfH: The State of Health Freedom with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’, 9/3/21, AUDIO]
3. “I do believe that autism comes from vaccines.” [Fox News, ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’, 7/10/23, VIDEO]
4. “They’re trying to get at your baby. And force him to take their vaccines. And give him a lifetime dependency.” [Speech, Texans for Vaccine Choice Rally in Austin, Texas, 5/4/19]
5. “They get the shot, that night they have a fever of a hundred and three, they go to sleep, and three months later their brain is gone. This is a holocaust, what this is doing to our country.” [Speech, ‘Trace Amounts’ Screening in Sacramento, California, 4/7/15]
6. “The COVID shots are a crime against humanity.” [Robert F. Kennedy Jr., X, 12/12/22]
7. “The digitalized economy? We get rid of cash and coins. We give you a chip. We put all your money in your chip. If you refuse a vaccine, we turn off the chip and you starve!” [RFK Jr., Instagram via Forbes, 8/15/20]

RFK Jr. Lied About His Anti-Vaccine Extremism, His Role in the Deadly 2019 Measles Outbreak in Samoa, How Medicare and Medicaid Provide Care to Americans, and More

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a con man who will say anything to get confirmed and help Donald Trump rip away health care from Americans, so it’s no surprise that he lied time and time again during today’s disastrous confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. RFK Jr. lied about his own words opposing lifesaving vaccines, denied his role in the deadly 2019 Samoa measles outbreak, and failed to answer basic questions about America’s health care system. Leading news outlets, experts, and commentators called out RFK Jr.’s lies, proving that he is completely unqualified to serve as HHS Secretary.

IN THE NEWS: 

Time: RFK Jr. Denied He Is Anti-Vaccine During His Confirmation Hearing. Here’s His Record. 

• “Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of the most famous vaccine skeptics in the U.S., tried to distance himself from his decades of anti-vaccine sentiment during his Jan. 29 hearing to be confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)… many senators—including Oregon’s Ron Wyden, a Democrat—pressed Kennedy on discrepancies between his past public statements—in which he has repeatedly questioned the safety and necessity of vaccines and said they are linked to autism and chronic diseases—and his sanitized comments during the hearing.” 

Mother Jones: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Distorts the Facts on His Infamous Samoa Visit. 

• “Under oath, Kennedy claimed that his trip to Samoa had ‘nothing to do with vaccines,’ and that the purpose of his trip had been ‘to introduce a medical informatics system’ and to ‘digitize records in Samoa and make health delivery much more efficient.’ But that’s not exactly true. Recent reporting from NBC’s Brandy Zadrozny shows that Kennedy traveled to Samoa on behalf of the anti-vaccine nonprofit he founded, Children’s Health Defense; in the past, he has acknowledged that his opposition to vaccines factored into the trip, claiming that he’d gone because ‘government officials, including the Prime Minister were curious to measure health outcomes following the ‘natural experiment’ created by the respite from vaccines.’”

Axios: RFK Jr. Struggles to Answer Medicaid Questions in Confirmation Hearing. 

• “Kennedy seemed to struggle when Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) pushed him on what reforms he would propose for Medicaid, a program that provides coverage to some 72 million Americans. Kennedy described Medicaid, a state-federal program, as being ‘fully paid for’ by the federal government. Medicaid is funded by both the states and the federal government. The program represents $1 out of every $6 spent on health care in the U.S., per a 2023 report from KFF.”

The New York Times: R.F.K. Jr. Appears Unfamiliar With Key Elements of Medicare and Medicaid. 

• “In a tense exchange with Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. displayed a surprising lack of familiarity with Medicare and Medicaid, the government programs responsible for covering more than 150 million Americans. At times, Mr. Kennedy seemed to confuse the two programs.”

WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING:

Associate Public Health Director at Center for American Progress Marquisha Johns: “RFK Jr. claims that NIH has infectious diseases as the chief funding focus while not funding chronic disease research. Last year, NIH’s infectious disease institute had about $6B out of NIH’s $40B budget. The cancer institute’s budget alone was higher than this at $7B.” [@marquishajohns.bsky.social‬, Bluesky, 1/29/25]

Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times and MSNBC Analyst Peter Baker: “As Democrats and even some Republicans press RFK Jr., he has stumbled over basic facts. At one point, he described Medicaid premiums and deductibles as too high when, except in very rare cases, the program’s enrollees do not pay either.” [‪@peterbakernyt.bsky.social‬, Bluesky, 1/29/25]

Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families Joan Alker: “Yes agree – he just answered a question about Medicaid saying that the President asked him to fix the high premiums and deductibles in Medicaid  … which thankfully is a problem Medicaid doesn’t have!” [@JoanAlker1, X, 1/29/25]

Executive Vice President for Health Policy at KFF Larry Levitt: “RFK Jr. said the “premiums are too high” in Medicaid. In fact, premiums in Medicaid are generally prohibited, though some states have waivers to charge premiums.” [@larrylevitt.bsky.social‬, Bluesky, 1/29/25]

Director of Public Health and Policy at the Center for American Progress Jill Rosenthal: “RFK Jr is still spreading misinformation. Water fluoridation is among the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. Dose matters, but it is good for teeth.” [‪@jillrose.bsky.social‬, Bluesky, 1/29/25]

Senior National Reporter for HuffPost Jonathan Cohn: “Kennedy just gave a nonsensical answer on Medicaid. Under questioning from Sen. Cassidy about the program’s performance and options for future reform, he referred to the fact that people in Medicaid pay high premiums. Near the end of his answer, he referred again to ‘premiums.’ Here’s the thing: People in Medicaid don’t pay premiums, except in special circumstances or through state waivers. [HuffPost, 1/29/25]

Senior National Reporter for HuffPost Jonathan Cohn: “RFK’s answer on Medicaid was … something Not at all clear he understands the program, which he would oversee and which is [checks notes] the nation’s single largest public insurance program by enrollment” [@CitizenCohn, X, 1/29/25]

New York Times Reporter Margot Sanger-Katz: “Kennedy seems unfamiliar with numerous details about how Medicaid works–getting his description of the program’s financing and benefit structure wrong. Notably, it is Sen. Cassidy who is pursuing this line of questioning about core CMS programs that Kennedy hasn’t talked about much before.” [@sangerkatz.bsky.social, Bluesky, 1/29/25]

New Yorker Reporter Clare Malone: “This is an important fact check. It demonstrates the ways that Kennedy tries to wriggle out of his many on the record statements.” [@claremalone.bsky.social‬, Bluesky, 1/29/25] 

Charles Gaba, Health Policy Expert: “In fact, over 50% of Medicare is NOT fee for service any longer (Medicare Advantage became the default choice about a year ago, for good or for bad).” [@charlesgaba.com‬, Bluesky, 1/29/25]

Chief Washington Correspondent for KFF Health News, Julie Rovner: “RFK [Jr.] keeps talking about Medicaid premiums. Medicaid, with few exceptions, doesn’t HAVE premiums. (He’s thinking of Medicare)” [@jrovner, X, 1/29/25]

New York Times Reporter Sarah Kliff: “RFK’s answers to Sen. Cassidy’s questions about Medicaid basics underscored a lack of familiarity with the program. He described it as a fully federally funded program. The costs are actually split between states and the feds. He described the premiums and deductibles as being too high. Medicaid does not have premiums or deductibles, aside from a handful of small experiments with them (mostly in GOP states during the last Trump administration).” [@SarahKliff, X, 1/29/25]