Health Secretary RFK Jr. has fired two leaders of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), leaving the critical preventive care panel half empty and raising concerns about the future of evidence-based preventive care recommendations. Medical groups are alarmed that this follows a pattern of undermining expert panels, similar to previous actions with vaccine advisory committees. The move threatens insurance coverage for essential preventive services like mammograms and cancer screenings that are mandated under the Affordable Care Act based on USPSTF recommendations.
Background
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is an independent panel of national experts that makes evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services. Under the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans are required to cover preventive services that receive an 'A' or 'B' grade from the USPSTF without cost-sharing.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- May 22, 2026 at 07:30 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10