How could Medicare change with the confirmation of Robert F Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a tough confirmation process, seeming unable to understand Medicare and Medicaid. Yet the Senate confirmed him as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) anyway, with a narrow 52-48 vote. So how may Medicare change?

Kennedy is now overseeing a $1.7 trillion agency responsible for healthcare programs impacting millions of Americans, and there is uncertainty surrounding how he will handle Medicare policy and health across the United States.

But firstly, the important thing is there will be no immediate Medicare cuts. This is not actually a policy of the 71-year-old, but comes directly from Donald Trump's campaign manifesto in which he vowed to "protect" seniors.

Trump does plan to cut costs, calling them excessive, but it's currently unclear how this will shape up going forwards. As seniors themselves, there's a chance Trump and Kennedy Jr. will be self-motivated enough to honor that promise.

Secondly comes a push for integration as Medicare serves older Americans, and Medicaid provides coverage for low-income individuals. Roughly 12 million are eligible for both, but find difficulty accessing the programs. Kennedy plans to change this, but he hasn't given any details.

Next is an expansion of Medicare Advantage, a private insurance alternative to traditional Medicare which covers 55% of beneficiaries today. These plans often include additional benefits like vision, dental, and hearing coverage.

Kennedy, who is enrolled in Medicare Advantage himself, has suggested "most people would prefer" Advantage, but cannot afford it. He did not supply any data ing the claim, nor provide any plans to make it more accessible or affordable.

Finally, drugs are uncertain. Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), introduced cost-saving measures for Medicare recipients, including a $35 monthly insulin cap and a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D enrollees.

Trump potentially plans to get rid of the IRA and revoked the 14087 Executive Order which aimed to cut prescription drug costs further. However, Kennedy has voiced for lowering drug prices and pointed to Europe as an example to follow.

Kennedy's embarrassing hearing causes concern

During his Senate confirmation hearings, Kennedy struggled to explain the basic components of Medicare and found himself being corrected by senator Maggie Hassan multiple times, as she gave the correct definitions and in greater detail.

The 71-year-old Republican tried to play it down as only covering "the basic" outline of Medicare and Medicaid, but the faced questions of whether he is qualified to effectively manage such a sensitive topic and implement meaningful reforms.