SHERIDAN, WYOMING – July 29, 2025 – The American Medical Association (AMA) has issued a public plea urging Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to preserve the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), following reports that the panel could be dissolved due to ideological concerns. The potential shakeup, while not yet finalized, has sparked widespread concern across the healthcare community and could significantly impact access to preventive care services nationwide.
Potential dissolution raises alarms over clinical and insurance ripple effects
According to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy is reportedly preparing to fire all 16 USPSTF members, allegedly citing their perceived political leanings. While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not confirmed the move, a spokesperson acknowledged that “no final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS’ mandate to Make America Healthy Again.”
This uncertainty has already triggered concerns among industry analysts. In a recent note, BMO Capital Markets warned that eliminating the USPSTF could create “a potential headwind” for companies like Gilead, whose HIV preventive drug Yeztugo may be affected by changes in federally recognized guidelines.
USPSTF’s role in clinical guidance and insurance policy
Established in 1984, the USPSTF is an independent panel of volunteer experts in preventive and evidence-based medicine. Its recommendations serve as a cornerstone for determining best practices in early disease detection and prevention strategies.
More importantly, USPSTF ratings directly shape national health insurance policy. Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurers are legally required to cover USPSTF-recommended services without cost-sharing—a key provision that ensures broad patient access to critical screenings and preventive measures.
“Access to these services without cost sharing plays a critical role in keeping patients healthy and reducing the burdens of disease,” the AMA emphasized in its open letter.
Preventive services covered under this mandate include screenings for cancer, cardiovascular risk assessments, and mental health evaluations, all of which depend on USPSTF recommendations to guide clinical and reimbursement decisions.
Industry analysts see regulatory shift as aligned with broader legal context
The USPSTF’s future has come into sharper focus after the Braidwood ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the task force’s constitutional foundation but simultaneously expanded the HHS Secretary’s authority to remove members and review its recommendations.
This legal backdrop, combined with Kennedy’s public health policy positions—including the firing of all CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices members last month—signals a deeper structural shift. BMO analysts observed that these developments align with “RFK’s power to decide what is necessary as preventative care rather than upholding the standards set forth by prior administrations.”
AMA defends scientific independence and nonpartisan health policy
The AMA’s latest advocacy echoes previous warnings against political interference in science-based policymaking. “The USPSTF puts forth recommendations that dictate coverage policy for health insurers nationwide,” the organization wrote, highlighting that its evidence-based process protects patients and providers from ideological swings in government.
This effort comes shortly after the cancellation of a planned USPSTF meeting earlier this month and a wave of criticism in right-wing media, including an article in The American Conservative labeling the panel a “festering corner of woke bureaucracy.”
Healthcare community braces for operational and patient access consequences
Should the USPSTF be dissolved or restructured along political lines, hospital systems and clinicians may face uncertainty in aligning with evidence-based coverage protocols. Payors, too, would need to reassess reimbursement models tied to preventive recommendations, potentially delaying access to care and increasing out-of-pocket costs for patients.
With no clear alternative in place, stakeholders across the healthcare continuum are closely monitoring HHS actions.
To stay updated on policy shifts impacting preventive care and reimbursement strategy, visit https://www.ama-assn.org.