RFK Jr. to speak at Children’s Health Defense event, Klomp faces senators

You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

After ProPublica reported that a Russian close to Putin bankrolled Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding on a private island, Don Jr.’s wife said the oligarch is a “dear friend” who gave a generous wedding gift. Send news tips and a stand mixer to [email protected] or John_Wilkerson.07 on Signal.

The need-to-know this week

• Today, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a confirmation hearing to consider Chris Klomp as deputy secretary of Health and Human Services and Ge Bai as assistant HHS secretary. The Senate health committee will hold a courtesy hearing on Klomp’s nomination tomorrow. Heidi Overton, President Trump’s pick to run the Food and Drug Administration, is absent from the confirmation hearing list. She was formally nominated on Monday.
• Today, the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health will hold a hearing on 17 health care bills, including proposals to increase Medicare payment to doctors.
• The House had scheduled a health care fraud bill for a floor vote, but it was taken off the agenda. It’s unclear whether it will resurface or whether Republicans will consider a different fraud bill that is less partisan. Fraud bills generate significant savings, which could be important if lawmakers attempt to pass health care measures during lame duck.
• On Thursday, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will give a keynote address at a Children’s Health Defense conference. Other speakers include Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

RFK Jr., full circle

Kennedy’s speech at the anti-vaccine Children’s Health Defense conference is his first public embrace of the group since taking over at HHS, Isa Cueto reports.