Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Sept. 17 the appointment of eight new members to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a federal advisory body that determines which preventive health services private insurers must cover under the Affordable Care Act. The move follows the expiration of terms for several existing members and the dismissal of others, creating vacancies in the 16-person panel.
The new appointees include Dr. Seth Corey, a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, who will serve as chair. The other members are Dr. Patrick Hunter (Florida pediatrician), Ronald Karlsberg (UCLA professor of medicine), Dr. Venkatesh Murthy (University of Michigan preventive cardiologist), Stephen Parente (health economics and insurance expert), Dr. Goldie Stands-Over-Bull (Texas Native Health family medicine lead), Dr. Louis Wilson (Wichita Falls Gastroenterology Associates managing partner), and Dr. Dennis Wulfeck (radiologist). Eight existing members, including Dr. Ericka Gibson (Kaiser Permanente OB-GYN) and Dr. Sai Lee (UCSF medicine professor), remain on the task force.
Kennedy stated in a press release that the appointees were selected to ensure the task force’s recommendations are grounded in rigorous, objective science and to strengthen its ability to evaluate medical evidence. The task force’s recommendations directly influence preventive care coverage policies, as federal law requires private health plans to cover services receiving an A or B grade without patient cost-sharing.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was established in 1984 to review clinical evidence and issue evidence-based recommendations on screenings, counseling, and preventive medications. Its work spans areas such as cancer screenings, cardiovascular disease prevention, and pediatric care. Members serve four-year terms and are selected based on expertise in relevant medical fields, per federal guidelines.
The health secretary’s authority to appoint task force members was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025, following legal challenges to the panel’s composition. The task force has not convened since 2025, though its recommendations continue to shape national preventive care standards. The new appointments take effect immediately, with the panel expected to resume its review processes in the coming months.