Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden called for explanations from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz regarding the newly formed Healthcare Advisory Committee, according to a July 14 statement.
Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, said they have concerns about the committee’s composition, including members with limited healthcare experience, potential conflicts of interest, and connections to the Trump family. The senators wrote, “the majority of the Committee’s 18 members are executives or investors of companies that stand to benefit directly from the Committee’s recommendations. Even more troubling are reports that several members have made significant campaign contributions to President Trump, have received favors from him, or have business relationships with members of his family. These relationships suggest that Committee members were not selected on the basis of merit or expertise, raising doubts about the impartiality of their advisory work.”
The Healthcare Advisory Committee was jointly announced by HHS and CMS on March 26 and held its first meeting on May 18. The committee is tasked with advising on delivery and financing issues across major federal health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), and Affordable Care Act marketplaces—programs serving over 160 million Americans.
In their letter addressed to Kennedy and Oz, Merkley and Wyden said they were concerned about compliance with requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). They stated, “Federal advisory committees exist to bring expertise to bear on complex policy questions… We are troubled by the absence of such expertise among the members nominated to date.” The senators cited specific concerns regarding committee member Tony Robbins’ lack of professional credentials in clinical medicine or health policy as well as past allegations against him.
The senators also raised broader issues about industry representation outweighing public health experts or patient advocates within the committee membership. They questioned whether political ties might compromise independent judgment required by law.
Merkley and Wyden requested written responses addressing these concerns by August 14 along with relevant documents submitted to Democratic staff in both committees. “The recommendations of the Healthcare Advisory Committee must reflect independent, expert judgment—not financial interests or political favor,” they wrote.