Raging in Place

Gen-x aging resources and community

Tag: CDC

  • RFK Jr.’s Transparency Policy: Reforming Health Agencies?

    RFK Jr.’s Transparency Policy: Reforming Health Agencies?

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign has unveiled a “Transparency and Open Science Policy” aimed at shaking up the status quo in federal health agencies. The policy’s core tenet is demanding full transparency from the NIH, CDC, and FDA, requiring the release of internal studies, data, and communications related to public health decisions. This extends to reforming Medicaid by granting states more flexibility and advocating for alternative treatments, like nutritional interventions, alongside conventional medicine. Furthermore, Kennedy proposes establishing independent review boards to scrutinize agency actions and regulatory decisions, suggesting a move toward deregulation and decentralized healthcare. While emphasizing data integrity and potentially expanding environmental health research, the policy also aligns with Kennedy’s controversial stance on vaccine safety, challenging established scientific consensus and highlighting potential conflicts of interest within regulatory bodies, making it a potentially disruptive force in the landscape of public health policy.

    This policy announcement details RFK Jr.’s commitment to transparency and independent review in federal health agencies, particularly regarding data and decision-making related to public health, though it reinforces his controversial views on vaccine safety.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-transparency-policy-medicaid-nih

  • Trump Administration Reportedly Cuts Thousands of HHS Employees

    Trump Administration Reportedly Cuts Thousands of HHS Employees

    The Trump administration is reportedly implementing substantial staff reductions within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), impacting key public health agencies. According to an audio recording from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) department meeting obtained by the Associated Press, HHS is expected to terminate approximately 5,200 probationary employees. Sources within the affected agencies, who requested anonymity, have leaked news of the firings. These reported cuts are said to be widespread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is allegedly losing about 1,300 employees, representing 10% of its workforce, according to NPR, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may see as many as 1,500 employees laid off. These cuts are reportedly part of a broader effort spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force, led by Elon Musk, to curtail government spending.

    Separately, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a significant reduction in funding for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Navigator Program, decreasing from $98 million in 2024 to $10 million, raising concerns about the future of navigator positions assisting consumers in selecting ACA plans. HHS officials have reportedly declined to comment on the specifics of the layoffs, stating only that they are “following the administration’s guidance and is taking action to support the president’s broader efforts to restructure and streamline the federal government,” according to the AP report. The reported job cuts occurred one day after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in to oversee HHS.

    Source: Healthcare Finance News