President-elect Donald Trump has quickly begun to assemble his administration ahead of his anticipated inauguration.
One of the most notable appointments so far is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has accepted Trump’s offer to serve as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). This announcement has raised eyebrows, as Kennedy has a long history of advocacy on health issues but is also known for his controversial stance on vaccines.
Kennedy, the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, initially ran for president in 2024 as a Democrat before switching to an independent campaign. He ultimately dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump in the final weeks leading up to the election.
During his campaign, Kennedy outlined several key issues he believed were central to improving health policy in the United States. As he prepares to take on the role of HHS Secretary, these priorities may shape the direction of national health initiatives.
Among the key issues Kennedy championed were:
- Transparency in Healthcare Costs and Choices
- Reversing the Chronic Disease Epidemic
- Improving Food Safety
- Restructuring Public Funding for Vaccine Research
These positions reflect Kennedy’s longstanding interest in public health, as well as his calls for greater accountability in both the healthcare industry and government health programs.
To understand how these broader national health policies might affect Texans, KPRC 2’s Joy Addison spoke with Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine.
According to Ho, there are several health policy issues that are particularly pressing for residents of the Lone Star State:
- Transparency in Medicine and Healthcare Costs
- Affordable Healthcare
- Support for Rural Hospitals
- Health Insurance Access for Low-Income Texans
One of the most critical areas, Ho explained, is the lack of Medicaid expansion in Texas. Unlike many other states, Texas chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving millions of Texans without access to affordable insurance.
“We’ve actually had some significant improvements in insurance coverages in Texas because under the inflation reduction act, there were substantial increases in subsidies for people to purchase health insurance under Obamacare,” Ho said.
“There are tens of thousands, maybe even a hundred thousand people in Texas that were able to add on health insurance and pay almost no premium and have very little cost for health insurance. So, that has been a huge bonus for many Texas families” she added.
She highlighted that Texas consistently ranks at the top for the highest number of uninsured people in the country, with significant implications for health outcomes in the state.
“We don’t know how Kennedy will address Medicare and Medicaid coverage yet, but there certainly need to be reforms. These programs are a major part of the healthcare budget, and they are increasingly unsustainable,” Ho said. “Texas has the highest rate of uninsured persons in the country, and that’s a direct result of the state’s decision not to expand Medicaid.”
One of the most controversial aspects of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s career has been his stance on vaccine policies. While Kennedy has been a vocal critic of vaccine safety and mandates, he has also stated that he does not support banning vaccines altogether.
As HHS Secretary, his stance on this issue could have wide-reaching implications, particularly in light of ongoing debates about vaccine safety and public health.
At a recent event at Rice University, the Texas Vaccine Policy Symposium, the issue of vaccine safety was front and center.
I spoke with Terri Burke, the head of the Immunization Partnership at Rice University, who stressed that the focus of public health discussions should remain on the diseases that vaccines prevent, rather than the safety of the vaccines themselves.
“Look at infectious diseases. Vaccines prevent disease. Let’s look at those diseases,” Burke said. “We’ve eradicated smallpox, and we thought we eradicated measles, but now they’re coming back. We need to stay focused on the diseases that harm, kill, and disable people.”
Burke acknowledged the debate surrounding vaccine safety but noted that both she and Kennedy agree on the importance of ensuring that vaccines are safe and effective. “Mr. Kennedy talks about safety. So do we. Maybe that’s where we find common ground,” she said. “We have to have a concern for ourselves and a concern for our communities. Like, with children in a classroom, we already know what that petri dish is like.”
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. prepares to take on his new role as Secretary of Health and Human Services, his appointment signals a potential shift in U.S. health policy. With an emphasis on transparency, disease prevention, and vaccine research, Kennedy is likely to advocate for reforms that could impact both the nation’s healthcare system and public health initiatives.
However, questions remain about how his controversial views on vaccines will influence the policies of the Trump administration. As the nation looks to address ongoing health challenges—from the rising cost of healthcare to the uninsured population in states like Texas—the effectiveness of Kennedy’s leadership at HHS will depend on his ability to balance his personal beliefs with the broader goals of improving public health for all Americans.
In the coming months, as Trump’s administration takes shape, the country will be watching closely to see how these new health policies unfold.
