During a recent hearing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Senator Bill Cassidy exchanged views on Medicare and Medicaid. However, Kennedy seemed unsure about the details of these vital programs that support over 150 million Americans.
Medicare is mainly for older adults and disabled people, while Medicaid is for low-income individuals and families, funded by both state and federal governments. Kennedy got a bit mixed up, at one point overlooking the fact that a significant part of Medicare relies on private insurance plans for care.
Interestingly, Kennedy mentioned he is enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan, suggesting many people prefer it for its good services. However, these plans face criticism from lawmakers and public advocacy groups due to issues like overcharging and denying care to patients. Some insurers have even been penalized for these practices.
When discussing Medicaid, Kennedy mistakenly claimed it is entirely funded by the federal government. In reality, Medicaid covers nearly 80 million low-income Americans and relies on both state and federal funding. He also argued that many people on Medicaid are unhappy due to high costs associated with their coverage.
“Most people who are on Medicaid are not happy,” he asserted, citing high premiums and deductibles. However, this is misleading. Most Medicaid enrollees do not pay any premiums or deductibles, as federal law prohibits such costs for the lowest-income individuals. Generally, patients don’t pay anything when they visit a doctor, barring a few state-specific experiments that have tried small fees.
Moreover, research contradicts Kennedy’s claim that “everyone’s getting sicker.” Various studies suggest that more people enrolled in Medicaid actually improves access to healthcare and often leads to better health outcomes, though the evidence on health improvements isn’t as extensive.
When Senator Cassidy asked Kennedy about potential Medicaid reforms, Kennedy spoke in broad terms—favoring increased transparency and accountability—without providing specific proposals. Unlike other nominees who suggested concrete changes, Kennedy didn’t outline any major shifts in policy.
Nonetheless, he did show he was informed about Medicaid enrollment figures, accurately stating that around 72 million people are covered under traditional Medicaid and an additional seven million through the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
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Kennedy, Robert F Jr,Health and Human Services Department
