Kennedy Aide Accuses Healthcare Industry of Profiting from Illness
A top advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ignited controversy at the HLTH conference this week, alleging that the healthcare industry prioritizes profit over patient wellbeing by capitalizing on chronic diseases and downplaying the role of lifestyle factors like diet.
LAS VEGAS – A sharp critique of the healthcare system’s economic incentives reverberated through the HLTH conference on Tuesday, as Calley Means, a key advisor to Secretary Kennedy, accused industry players of financially benefiting from the prevalence of chronic illness. “The problem is that most people in this room are just predominantly making money off more sick patients. And that’s just an economic fact,” Means stated during a panel discussion.
Means’ remarks centered on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, a campaign focused on reducing chronic disease through comprehensive reforms to food, health, and scientific systems. The movement gained momentum during the 2016 presidential election, contributing to Donald Trump’s victory and ultimately leading to the establishment of a MAHA Commission via executive order in February.
While many healthcare professionals support the broad goal of improving American health, particularly among children, the MAHA movement has drawn criticism for promoting unproven or potentially harmful practices, such as the consumption of raw milk, and for reviving debunked theories linking vaccines to autism.
A core tenet of the MAHA philosophy, as articulated by Means, is the belief that the healthcare industry deliberately overlooks the impact of lifestyle choices on disease development, fearing that acknowledging such links would negatively impact their bottom line. This assertion was met with pushback from industry stakeholders, who point to increasing investments in social determinants of health programs – including initiatives focused on “food-as-medicine” – and a broader shift away from traditional fee-for-service payment models.
The HLTH conference itself showcased a commitment to preventative care, featuring 39 sessions dedicated to the topic and attracting 114 sponsors offering related products and services. However, Means argued that the fundamental economic structure of the industry incentivizes illness. “The pharma industry does not make more money when less people are sick. Hospitals don’t make more money when beds are less full. Insurance companies, as we all know, make more money when premiums go up and patients get sicker,” he asserted.
The intensity of Means’ criticism sparked concern among some attendees. One physician present described Means’ statements as demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of the industry, noting that insurers, in fact, often see higher profits when their members are healthy.
Another physician, Dr. Joshua Guttman, an emergency medicine specialist, emphasized that the notion of healthcare companies prioritizing profits over patient wellbeing clashes with the core motivations of medical professionals. “I have vested interest, and all physicians have a vested interest, in keeping people healthy. That’s our job. That’s what we go into medicine,” Guttman explained. “We really, truly want the best for the person in front of us, and that’s keeping them from getting sick in the first place.”
Means, a former lobbyist and entrepreneur, has consistently voiced concerns about corporate influence within healthcare since becoming an advisor to Kennedy. He has previously characterized the American Medical Association as “a pharma lobbying group” and labeled the Food and Drug Administration a “sock puppet of industry.” He also played a central role in developing the administration’s MAHA reports on child chronic disease, which condemn the “overmedicalization” of children and advocate for a review of prescribing practices.
On Tuesday, Means called for rigorous scrutiny of established medical organizations and their evidence-based recommendations, suggesting they have historically prioritized disease management over preventative measures. “Where [the MAHA] movement is going is an examination of standards of care,” Means said. “It is going to a very harsh examination of what the American Academy of Pediatrics has been advising patients… [and what] the American Heart Association [has] advised.”
The lobbyist also highlighted concerns about inadequate government reimbursement for healthcare services, suggesting the situation could worsen due to the $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid included in recent tax and policy legislation. He expressed little sympathy for these concerns, arguing for a national reevaluation of priorities. “There’s a mass discussion that needs to happen about actually our prioritizations as a country [when] we spend 6% of our national income on food, but 23% of our national income is going to companies in this room,” Means stated. However, the accuracy of these statistics is unclear; a New York Times analysis of government data published in June indicated these figures represent household spending rather than national income.
. The debate underscores a growing tension between the economic realities of the healthcare industry and the pursuit of a healthier population.
