Health care deserves Hurd's interest as much as tariffs

The incompetence is deep and wide. The sheer scope of the “hatchet vs. scalpel” changes to federal health policy could be fodder for 100 columns. Moreover, given the claim of wanting to “make America healthy again,” the current divestiture from evidence-based programs with a proven track record for measured results and return on investment is breathtakingly hypocritical.

Donald Trump and RFK Jr. continue to use the same level of logic regarding health care policy that Trump has applied to current U.S. trade policy and tariffs. Curse the science, curse the facts and curse the experts. When you believe to know better than anyone else and you’re the expert on everything, you don’t need the lessons of science, history or logic to stand in your way.

Unlike with tariff-related policy and big industry, there are no billionaires in Medicaid population to change Trump’s mind.

With respect to prevention, the highest value effort in health care, the Center for Disease Control’s efforts to prevent tobacco-related disease was recently axed as part of DOGE. CDC and public health efforts to reduce tobacco use have shown great success over multiple decades. From campaigns to help youth avoid the pitfalls of nicotine addiction to smoking cessation programs, the United States has made great progress in reducing tobacco use and the chronic disease associated with tobacco products. This success has been measured in lives and dollars as smoking rates have markedly declined over several decades. Nevertheless, cigarette smoking remains the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the U.S.

The only winner here, as pointed out by members of the CDC Office on Smoking and Health, is the tobacco industry itself. The taxpayers lose out on a program with an impressive return on investment that truly helped make America healthier.

As we witness this and other misguided decisions, note how quickly these changes have been thrust upon the system without the usual advice and consent of Congress. Remember the legislative branch that actually writes laws and sets budgets? Are they still a separate branch of government or simply a rubber stamp? As with a growing number of presidential power grabs, we shall see if the judicial branch continues to step in on this and other public health funding decisions that include fighting the tobacco industry, cancer research, public health funding, NIH funding, infectious disease monitoring, etc.

Simultaneously, we await votes on Trump’s plan to pay for further tax cuts for the wealthy but cutting Medicaid. Yep, that’s right, while DOGE and Trump end CDC efforts to fight tobacco, they want to simultaneously reduce the ability to treat tobacco-related chronic disease with cuts to Medicaid. MAHA!

Citizens of CD3 deserve greater clarity on how Rep. Jeff Hurd plans to respond to a growing number of illegal and non-science based actions of President Trump. To his credit, Rep. Hurd wants Congress to re-establish its role in setting tariff policy. He should be equally concerned about the funding and staffing decisions that Musk and Trump are making without the advice and consent of Congress.

Certainly, Rep. Hurd has shown an interest in listening to the concerns of the medical community with respect to health policy. In a few short months, he has engaged in conversations that Rep. Boebert never even considered while she held the CD3 seat. And, to his credit, he continues to reference the balance of power provisions within the U.S. Constitution.

But, in the end, it comes down to how he votes. Will Rep. Hurd represent CD3 interests more than the billionaire interests of Trump and Musk? Will Medicaid services be cut? Will science and evidence-based policy be restored in the true interest of making America healthy? Will proposed cuts to federal workers and NIH simply be done to pay for tax cuts that serve mostly the wealthy with no regard for the national debt?

Meanwhile, the current course of this administration and Congress leaves the health care industry in the same condition as most economists — bewildered, confused and worried about the future.

Michael J. Pramenko M.D. is a family physician, chief medical officer at Monument Health, and a past president of the Colorado Medical Society.