President Donald Trump’s allies and adversaries clashed over improving the US health care system at POLITICO’s Health Care Summit, revealing deep divides over administration upheavals.
Calley Means, a key figure in HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement, defended Trump’s cuts and criticized the medical industry, igniting a heated debate.
Deepening Partisan Rifts
Rep. Jake Auchincloss criticized Means for dismissing science and government achievements in healthcare, reflecting broader Democratic concerns.
Republican summit speakers advocated for dismantling what they saw as a fraud-ridden healthcare system, while Democrats warned of dire consequences from Trump’s agency cuts.
Contentious Cutbacks
Means denied research funding cuts, emphasizing reallocating resources to researchers. Vern Buchanan opposed Medicaid cuts, seeking savings through program efficiencies.
Democrats doubted Republican cost-saving goals without compromising Medicaid benefits, highlighting funding shortfalls.
Challenges to Global Health
Dr. Atul Gawande and Democrats viewed Trump’s cuts as threatening global health efforts, likening it to stopping a plane mid-flight without a crew.
Republicans defended cost-cutting as eliminating waste and redirecting funds effectively.
Debating Research and Diversity
Ben Carson defended Trump’s cuts to university research, questioning the efficacy of certain studies and diversity initiatives.
Carson’s remarks stirred controversy over the impact on health disparities and racial divisions.
