Access to quality health care is the most important right of citizens in a free society. Denial of health care coverage and services is cruel and inhumane. Consider that there is a 17-year life expectancy gap between the healthiest and wealthiest and poorest and sickest neighborhoods in Chicago, as reported by the Cook County Health Atlas.
In February, President Donald Trump established the Make America Healthy Again Commission, which is charged with addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic disease. Within 180 days, the commission is required to submit a strategy to improve the health of America’s children. Concomitantly, the administration is eliminating thousands of jobs and has proposed deep cuts to the fiscal year 2026 health care budget that will undercut the commission’s efforts. The reduction in staff at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will make America sicker and likely cause people to die earlier of preventable diseases.
To be clear, our country is sick — it is facing an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, increased maternal mortality and other preventable chronic diseases. The American Medical Association reports that health spending in the U.S. increased by 7.5% in 2023 to $4.9 trillion. The Trump administration’s approach undervalues the health of minority populations and disrupts our ability to prepare for and respond to the next pandemic. This will have a negative impact on our economy and overall health.
HHS would see its discretionary budget cut by $40 billion. The NIH budget would be cut to $27 billion from $47 billion — a roughly 40% cut. The CDC would see a 44% reduction in funding. Also, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), the National Institute of Nursing Research and funding for the Head Start program would be eliminated. The Head Start federal program provides early childhood education, health, nutrition and family support services for more than half a million low-income children and families.
A new agency called the Administration for a Healthy America would be created, but programs focused on lead poisoning prevention, health care workforce support and rural health would be cut.
The proposed cuts will affect children in Chicago exposed to lead poisoning. Last year, a study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 68% of Chicago kids under age 6 live in households with tap water containing detectable levels of lead. There is no acceptable level of lead poisoning. Lead poisoning in children can affect brain development, the nervous system and overall health. Also, scientific research notes a direct correlation between lead poisoning and increased aggression.
The elimination of the CDC’s Office of Health Equity and NIMHD will harm underserved communities. These institutions research ways to help close racial health disparities. However, if there is no data related to health disparities, then they do not exist. A CMS worker told the publication Healthcare Dive, “As far as the effects on populations, people are going to die.”
The administration’s cuts in substance abuse and mental health services grants could actually increase costs and crime. Haymarket Center, a nonprofit that supports 5,000 Chicagoans a year dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues, said it will lose a quarter of its funding. The grant money supported recovery homes, connections to jobs, continued mental health services and a local support system.
“People will often relapse without structure, so they access emergency services and emergency rooms, which ends up only increasing costs,” President Dan Lustig told Block Club.
Cutting CDC personnel and the budget will harm our ability at every level of government to prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks. The elimination of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health could undo decades of progress in reducing American death rates from tobacco.
The following are recommendations to protect citizens from proposed health care cuts:
- Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle should accelerate the program for lead removal from Chicago and Cook County homes.
- Johnson should ensure all drinking fountains in schools are free of lead-tainted water.
- Johnson and Preckwinkle should offer free filters for residents living in ZIP codes with the highest levels of lead exposure.
- Johnson must ensure Chicago Housing Authority buildings are free of lead-based paint and dust.
- Citizens should write or call members of Congress and urge them to oppose deep cuts to health care funding and Medicaid.
- Faith groups should organize and inform lawmakers they oppose cuts to health care and Head Start programs.
- Citizens should continue to peacefully demonstrate against cuts to health care and Medicaid.
The Kennedy name has been synonymous with building the health care system in America. The late Sen. Ted Kennedy expanded children’s health insurance coverage and was behind the AIDS resources law named after Ryan White. He crafted policies to protect the nation from bioterrorism. Unfortunately, his nephew, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will go down in history as the chief architect of dismantling health care.
I write this commentary to make those comfortable with cutting health care for the poor and eliminating research programs uncomfortable.
Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
