LIVE: Surgeon General nominee Casey Means testifies before Senate

Staggering costs with poor outcomes

The United States spends over $5 trillion annually on healthcare—more than $15,000 per person—yet remains the only major nation without guaranteed healthcare, resulting in 68,000 annual deaths from lack of access and a life expectancy four years shorter than peer countries.

Youth metabolic emergency

Approximately 20% of American youth are obese and one in three adolescents aged 12-17 now has pre-diabetes, projecting shorter, sicker lives for the next generation than their parents.

Means' root cause analysis

Dr. Means identified ultra-processed foods, industrial chemical exposure, sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, and overmedicalization as the primary modifiable drivers of the nation's chronic disease epidemic.

From surgery to prevention

After training at Stanford Medical School and Oregon Health and Science University, Means left surgical residency to co-found Levels Health, a metabolic monitoring company targeting blood sugar dysregulation affecting 50% of adults and 30% of teens.

MAHA strategy endorsement

Means supports the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative focusing on whole food access, financial conflict-of-interest reforms, and research prioritizing disease prevention and reversal over symptom management.

Communication expertise

The nominee has taught at Stanford University, published biomedical research from NIH collaborations, authored the bestselling book "Good Energy," and appeared on over 200 podcasts to discuss metabolic health.

Healthcare access warnings

Senator Sanders warned that Trump administration plans to cut over $1 trillion from Medicaid and the ACA would eliminate coverage for 15 million Americans and cause approximately 50,000 unnecessary deaths annually.

Bipartisan expert condemnation

Six former Surgeons General—three Republicans and three Democrats serving under presidents from Bush to Trump—published a Washington Post op-ed stating that Secretary Kennedy has "rejected science" and endangered national health.

Vaccine misinformation concerns

Sanders challenged Means on how she could serve while the administration spreads "dangerous conspiracy theories about vaccines" amid active measles outbreaks in West Texas and South Carolina threatening elimination status.

Abortion medication protocol

When asked whether mifepristone should require in-person physician visits, Means emphasized the need for thorough informed consent but stated specific dispensing requirements fall outside the Surgeon General's purview.

Contraceptive access stance

Means endorsed widespread accessibility of oral contraceptives while insisting patients must receive physician counseling about significant risks before initiating long-term medication regimens.

Measles outbreak urgency

Chairman Cassidy raised alarms about losing measles elimination status following outbreaks causing two child deaths in West Texas and affecting nearly 1,000 children in South Carolina.