HHS Has ‘Utterly Failed,’ Kennedy Advisor Argues

Calley Means defended reductions in force at the Health and Human Services Department that shocked and outraged federal workers and stakeholders.

Arrows missing bullseye. Concept: Failure.
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Key Takeaways
  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was justified in eliminating 10,000 employees from the department because the US health care system is facing an 'existential crisis,' advisor Calley Means said.
  • Means also maintained that Kennedy was following through on what voters want, despite objections from lobbyists representing regulated industry and other stakeholders.
  • Former FDA Conmissioner Scott Gottlieb said some cuts may need to be reconsidered, such as those involving the agency teams that review cell and gene therapies.

The US Health and Human Services Department’s chaotic and at times seemingly uninformed layoffs of 10,000 employees over the past few days were an appropriate response to the health care...

Means also is co-founder of TrueMed, a company that enables patients to use pre-tax savings accounts to buy healthy food, exercise equipment and supplements.

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