AMA Urges Retention of Preventive Services Task Force Amid HHS Shakeup

The American Medical Association (AMA) has expressed significant concern to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over reports suggesting plans to dismiss all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF plays a critical and non-partisan role in guiding physicians by providing evidence-based recommendations on clinical preventive services designed to improve patient health outcomes. Retention of these members is urged by the AMA to ensure continuity in preventive health efforts without disruption.

The USPSTF has advised the federal government since 1984 and has been instrumental in establishing around 100 preventive health guidelines since 2010, which insurers are mandated to cover without cost-sharing. These guidelines cover a spectrum of screenings, counseling, and preventive medications, including cancer, cardiovascular conditions, anxiety, and depression. The panel comprises volunteer medical experts who rigorously evaluate scientific evidence to validate effective interventions.

Recent reports indicate that Secretary Kennedy may seek to remove the panel members due to perceived ideological differences, a move that has raised concerns within the medical community for potentially undermining this evidence-based advisory body's work. Despite such concerns, it is important to note the Secretary of HHS holds the authority to remove Task Force members and review their recommendations, maintaining federal oversight.

In a significant Supreme Court ruling on June 27, 2025, the ACA's preventive care coverage mandate was upheld, affirming that the USPSTF's recommendations must be adhered to by health insurers without patient cost-sharing. This decision reinforces the Task Force's influence on national health policy and insurance coverage requirements.

These developments could have far-reaching implications for preventive health service delivery, insurer obligations, and the alignment of federal health policy with clinical evidence. Stakeholders in the insurance and healthcare industry will likely be monitoring these evolving regulatory dynamics closely as they impact payer/providers, compliance standards, and patient access to critical preventive care.