Casey Means and MAHA Remove the 'Public' From Public Health
The Office of the Surgeon General is responsible for communicating scientific information to the public and addressing public health issues. Means' record would normally be considered antagonistic toward this fundamental goal, but Trump has praised the nominee as having "impeccable 'MAHA' credentials." Means describes herself as someone who left "traditional medicine," and has expressed health beliefs that flirt with pseudoscience and closely align with those of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Co-author of Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health and co-founder of Levels (a company that sells continuous glucose monitors), Means has peddled health claims that are questionable at best and dangerous at worst. Like other wellness influencers, she has dabbled in some Goop-esque activities, like consulting with a spiritual medium and taking part in a full moon ceremony, which are a little woo-woo but don't harm anyone else. Of greater consequence to public health is Means' skepticism of vaccines. She has also called birth control use "disrespect of life" and endorsed the supposed health benefits of raw milk. The prospect of having a surgeon general who believes such things is terrifying.
Beyond the pseudoscience, Means' general orientation toward health is out of touch with the needs of average Americans. She has built her career and reputation on promoting lifestyle choices such as healthy eating and exercise. From afar, her takes may appear sensible, and at times, even compatible with sound medical advice. A healthy diet and exercise are important, but they alone do not translate to good, humane policies.
Means has suggested that health issues like "depression, anxiety, infertility, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's dementia, [and] cancer" are "under our control and simpler than we think." Simpler for whom? An emphasis on lifestyle ultimately assigns structural and institutional problems to individual Americans to solve for themselves. In a country where wealth buys health, how many Americans can afford to insulate themselves and their families from risks of disease and disability? The federal minimum wage has been stagnant at $7.25 since 2009. Meanwhile, the cost of necessities like housing, food, and child care have increased precipitously.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 12: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks alongside President Donald Trump during a press conference in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on May 12,...
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 12: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks alongside President Donald Trump during a press conference in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on May 12, 2025, in Washington, DC. MoreIn her "health wishlist" for the Trump administration, Means says we need leaders who will "inspire people to care about their health, the food they eat, and their fitness." Americans do not need inspiration. Americans need access. It is cruel to push the idea that people are unhealthy simply because they do not care. Our most urgent public health problems cannot be solved with personal empowerment and lifestyle choices. For instance, 7.2 million children live in food-insecure households. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is planning to cut $12 billion from federally funded school meal programs.
Health care is also inaccessible to many Americans because, unlike many of its peer countries, the U.S. does not offer universal health coverage. Even for those who do have health insurance, coverage is often insufficient, causing many to accrue medical debt. The Trump administration has added new public health problems: the Food and Drug Administration recently suspended quality control for milk, the Department of Agriculture withdrew a proposal to reduce Salmonella in raw poultry products, and the Environmental Protection Agency has loosened restrictions on mercury pollution. Meanwhile, Kennedy continues to fuel vaccine hesitancy amid a national measles outbreak.
MAHA priorities are misaligned with public health needs. Means' sunny website—where she promotes her book, recipes, and newsletters—frames good health as an individual project. Means' wish list to the Trump administration proposes actions that would address processed foods, "Big Pharma," vaccine safety, alternative medicine, and paternalistic restrictions on SNAP. It is apparent that her and Kennedy's health concerns reflect the airy worries of the rich. Their brand of health care is for people who can choose to be healthy, people with the time and money to pursue health optimization, and people comfortable enough to be fussy over food dyes.
Pandering to the desires of the upper class, MAHA pushes products and services that are out of reach for the average American. The surgeon general is supposed to be the nation's doctor. Means is just an entrepreneur who peddles an expensive lifestyle.
Catherine Tan is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at Vassar College. She is the author of Spaces on the Spectrum: How Autism Movements Resist Experts and Create Knowledge, published by Columbia University Press.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Tennessee school won't accept doctor's notes for absences
(NewsNation) — One Tennessee school district will no longer accept doctors' notes to excuse an absence despite objections from parents. Lawrence County School System officials said the school is instituting the policy to teach students work ethic and reliability, saying that students will be expected to go to work sick or injured as adults. It is also intended to address chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10 percent or more of instructional time. In the 2023-2024 school year, Lawrence County had a 14 percent rate of chronic absenteeism. With no federally mandated sick leave, many Americans do go to work when sick, but public health officials advise against it. Staying home when sick can reduce the spread of viruses like the flu and COVID-19 and protect vulnerable people in the community. The new attendance policy says students will simply be marked absent or present, with no options for doctors to verify a child is absent because they are sick or injured, need to stay home to recover or to prevent spreading contagious illnesses to their classmates. The policy is meant to help improve attendance rates, but parents have objected, noting that an absence for an illness like the flu could now mean a referral to the Lawrence County Juvenile Court for truancy. Children who get sick at school or are sent to school sick and sent home by a nurse will be counted as tardy. Three tardies will equal an absence. The new policy also says schools will start intervention after just three days, and eight or more days marked absent will result in a court referral. Other penalties could include failing a class or grade, not being allowed to participate in graduation or get a driver's license or permit. There will be exemptions for students with documented chronic illnesses and emergencies out of the student's control, as well as allowances for deaths in the family and some religious observances. The school district sent a letter to medical providers asking them to emphasize regular school attendance and warning that medical notes could imply students should stay home even after their health improves.
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
After Venus Williams' comment on health insurance, here's what to know about athlete coverage
Venus Williams' recent singles win at the DC Open showcased her longevity and brought attention to health coverage for aging athletes after a joking comment she made in an on-court interview. 'I had to come back for the insurance,' the five-time Wimbledon champion said after Tuesday's match, her first in 16 months. 'They informed me this year that I'm on COBRA, so it's like, I got to get my benefits on.' The 45-year-old Williams, who has won seven major singles titles, became the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match in professional tennis. After losing Thursday, she acknowledged that her comment on health insurance was a 'fun and funny moment.' The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, more commonly referred to as COBRA, allows Americans to stay on their employer's insurance plan for a limited amount of time after leaving their job. It comes with high costs. Williams' comment led to questions about health insurance in the sports world. For most active professional athletes, partially or fully subsidized health insurance is provided by their league or governing body and guaranteed in their collective bargaining agreement. A CBA is an agreement reached between a league and its players that guarantees certain levels of player compensation and benefits and can be renegotiated every few years. So when athletes are playing, they're usually covered. But Williams, coming back to the sport after a 16-month hiatus, brought to light how long that insurance lasts — or doesn't last — for athletes when they're not playing. In the WTA, the governing body of the women's tour, players are eligible to enroll in the health insurance plan if they are ranked in the top 500 in singles or top 175 in doubles and have played a minimum of three WTA 250 level or above tournaments that year. If players are in the top 150 in singles or top 50 in doubles, the WTA will pay a portion of the premiums. If a player is no longer eligible under those requirements, they can enroll in COBRA for up to 18 months, which is likely the situation Williams was referencing. That is also the WTA's only option for retiring players. 'Nobody wants to be on COBRA, right?' Williams said after her second-round loss Thursday night. 'That remains an issue in my life. … Obviously (the interview was) a fun and funny moment, but it's an issue that people are dealing with, so it is serious.' The ATP provides health insurance to men's tennis players who rank in the top 250 in singles or top 50 in doubles. All other players with a ranking point are given the opportunity to purchase health insurance through the ATP's provider. For retired players, the only option is COBRA for up to three years. As an individual sport without a CBA, golf tours vary. A group insurance plan is available to active members of the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions (for golfers over 50) and the feeder Korn Ferry Tour. For players who meet certain 'performance criteria,' including how many tournaments they played and how often they won, the PGA Tour will partially subsidize the plan. In retirement, players are responsible for their own insurance. Some players join the PGA Tour Champions after the PGA Tour and play into their mid-60s, during which they maintain coverage. Top players can receive a subsidy from the PGA Tour in retirement. The LPGA Tour started offering its players fully funded health insurance for the first time this year. Before this year, players were given a $4,000 stipend. NBA players have access to one of the most inclusive insurance plans in retirement. If they played at least three years in the league, retired NBA players are eligible for fully funded health insurance in retirement, and if they played at least 10 years, they will have health care covered for their entire family. WNBA players are fighting for retirement health care as part of their new CBA, which they are currently negotiating with the league. Those negotiations have been heated, and the most recent meeting between the sides last weekend did not result in an agreement. One unique facet of the WNBA's healthcare is that athletes who have spent more than eight years in the league can be reimbursed up to $20,000 a year for costs related to adoption, surrogacy, egg freezing or additional fertility treatments. The NFL has less long-term coverage for retirees than most other leagues. Athletes who played in the league for at least three years can remain on the NFL health insurance plan but only for five years into retirement. NHL players who have played more than 160 games in the league — about two seasons — are eligible to buy NHL health insurance for their retirement. The retirement insurance plan is eligible for partial subsidization from the league. Baseball players who spent at least four years in the majors have the option to pay premiums to stay on the MLB's health care plan indefinitely. Minor-league baseball has its own separate CBA, which also guarantees health insurance for active players. In the minors, however, players who get cut or leave the league lose coverage at the end of that month.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump voters wanted relief from Medical bills. For millions, the bills are about to get bigger
President Trump rode to reelection last fall on voter concerns about prices. But as his administration pares back federal rules and programs designed to protect patients from the high cost of health care, Trump risks pushing more Americans into debt, further straining family budgets already stressed by medical bills. Millions of people are expected to lose health insurance in the coming years as a result of the tax cut legislation Trump signed this month, leaving them with fewer protections from large bills if they get sick or suffer an accident. At the same time, significant increases in health plan premiums on state insurance marketplaces next year will likely push more Americans to either drop coverage or switch to higher-deductible plans that will require them to pay more out-of-pocket before their insurance kicks in. Smaller changes to federal rules are poised to bump up patients' bills, as well. New federal guidelines for COVID -19 vaccines, for example, will allow health insurers to stop covering the shots for millions, so if patients want the protection, some may have to pay out-of-pocket. The new tax cut legislation will also raise the cost of certain doctor visits, requiring copays of up to $35 for some Medicaid enrollees. And for those who do end up in debt, there will be fewer protections. This month, the Trump administration secured permission from a federal court to roll back regulations that would have removed medical debt from consumer credit reports. That puts Americans who cannot pay their medical bills at risk of lower credit scores, hindering their ability to get a loan or forcing them to pay higher interest rates. 'For tens of millions of Americans, balancing the budget is like walking a tightrope,' said Chi Chi Wu, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. 'The Trump administration is just throwing them off.' White House spokesperson Kush Desai did not respond to questions about how the administration's health care policies will affect Americans' medical bills. The president and his Republican congressional allies have brushed off the health care cuts, including hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid retrenchment in the mammoth tax law. 'You won't even notice it,' Trump said at the White House after the bill signing July 4. 'Just waste, fraud, and abuse.' But consumer and patient advocates around the country warn that the erosion of federal health care protections since Trump took office in January threatens to significantly undermine Americans' financial security. 'These changes will hit our communities hard,' said Arika Sánchez, who oversees health care policy at the nonprofit New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. Sánchez predicted many more people the center works with will end up with medical debt. 'When families get stuck with medical debt, it hurts their credit scores, makes it harder to get a car, a home, or even a job,' she said. 'Medical debt wrecks people's lives.' For Americans with serious illnesses such as cancer, weakened federal protections from medical debt pose yet one more risk, said Elizabeth Darnall, senior director of federal advocacy at the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network. 'People will not seek out the treatment they need,' she said. Trump promised a rosier future while campaigning last year, pledging to 'make America affordable again' and 'expand access to new Affordable Healthcare.' Polls suggest voters were looking for relief. About 6 in 10 adults — Democrats and Republicans — say they are worried about being able to afford health care, according to one recent survey, outpacing concerns about the cost of food or housing. And medical debt remains a widespread problem: As many as 100 million adults in the U.S. are burdened by some kind of health care debt. Despite this, key tools that have helped prevent even more Americans from sinking into debt are now on the chopping block. Medicaid and other government health insurance programs, in particular, have proved to be a powerful economic backstop for low-income patients and their families, said Kyle Caswell, an economist at the Urban Institute, a think tank in Washington, D.C. Caswell and other researchers found, for example, that Medicaid expansion made possible by the 2010 Affordable Care Act led to measurable declines in medical debt and improvements in consumers' credit scores in states that implemented the expansion. 'We've seen that these programs have a meaningful impact on people's financial well-being,' Caswell said. Trump's tax law — which will slash more than $1 trillion in federal health spending over the next decade, mostly through Medicaid cuts — is expected to leave 10 million more people without health coverage by 2034, according to the latest estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The tax cuts, which primarily benefit wealthy Americans, will add $3.4 trillion to U.S. deficits over a decade, the office calculated. The number of uninsured could spike further if Trump and his congressional allies don't renew additional federal subsidies for low- and moderate-income Americans who buy health coverage on state insurance marketplaces. This aid — enacted under former President Joe Biden — lowers insurance premiums and reduces medical bills enrollees face when they go to the doctor or the hospital. But unless congressional Republicans act, those subsidies will expire later this year, leaving many with bigger bills. Federal debt regulations developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under the Biden administration would have protected these people and others if they couldn't pay their medical bills. The agency issued rules in January that would have removed medical debts from consumer credit reports. That would have helped an estimated 15 million people. But the Trump administration chose not to defend the new regulations when they were challenged in court by debt collectors and the credit bureaus, who argued the federal agency had exceeded its authority in issuing the rules. A federal judge in Texas appointed by Trump ruled that the regulation should be scrapped. Levey writes for KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
