Federal Policy
HHS Secretary Kennedy Blocks Preventive Services Task Force Meetings, Fires Leadership
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has prevented the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force from meeting, declined to replace members whose terms have expired, and fired the panel's leaders in May 2026. The task force determines which preventive medical services insurers must cover without cost-sharing under the Affordable Care Act. The disruption affects coverage recommendations for screenings, counseling, and preventive medications that Medicaid managed care plans must cover as essential health benefits. The timeline for new coverage recommendations and the panel's future composition remain uncertain.
Why it mattersMedicaid MCOs rely on task force recommendations to define required preventive services under essential health benefits and to design cost-sharing structures, and operational uncertainty around coverage standards creates compliance and network contracting risks.