Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told a congressional hearing Thursday that he will overhaul the United States Preventive Services Task Force, the panel that decides which preventive screenings insurers must cover at no cost. Kennedy slammed the committee for two decades of “lackadaisical and negligent” work and promised to appoint new members with a “clear mission.”

The task force’s remit spans colonoscopies, mammograms, depression screens and osteoporosis tests, influencing insurers under the Affordable Care Act, which obliges coverage for services graded A or B. Five of the 16 members face term expirations in December, and Kennedy has yet to name replacements, leaving the panel’s recommendations stalled after three postponed meetings.

Critics, including 19 senators, warn the secretary could purge the independent panel and install ideologically aligned appointees, echoing his recent reshuffle of a CDC vaccine advisory board. A Supreme Court ruling last June affirmed his authority to remove members before term end, meaning insurers may no longer be compelled to cover certain screenings.

Insurers and health‑care providers watch the overhaul closely, as any downgrade of a service from an “A” or “B” rating could shift billions in out‑of‑pocket costs to consumers. With preventive care utilization already under pressure, the secretary’s move threatens to reshape coverage formulas that businesses rely on for employee benefit planning.