What Nurses Need to Know About Trump's New "Make America Healthy Again" Commission

President Trump's establishment of the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) commission on February 13, 2025 marks a significant shift in the approach to healthcare policy in the United States. The commission is chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was recently confirmed as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As frontline healthcare providers, nurses need to be well-informed about this initiative and its potential impacts on their practice. 

Key Objectives and Timelines of MAHA

The MAHA commission aims to address the root causes of America's health crisis, with a particular focus on childhood chronic diseases. The commission brings together leaders from multiple federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Key MAHA Commission objectives:

• Investigate Chronic Illnesses: The commission is tasked with examining the root causes of increasing chronic illnesses, including mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and autism spectrum disorders. A significant focus is on the surge of conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with over 3.4 million children currently on medication for the disorder.
• Promote Preventative Health Measures: Emphasis is placed on shifting the healthcare system's focus from disease management to health promotion. This includes encouraging nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles to prevent the onset of chronic diseases.
• Enhance Research Transparency: The executive order mandates that all federally funded health research prioritize transparency and open-source data. It seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest that may bias outcomes and erode public trust in health recommendations.
• Assess Medication Practices: The commission will evaluate the prevalence and potential risks associated with the prescription of medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss drugs. This assessment aims to address concerns about over-reliance on medications, especially in pediatric populations.
• Investigate Environmental and Lifestyle Factors: The initiative will explore how environmental impacts, technological habits, and the quality and safety of food and drugs contribute to the nation's health challenges. This comprehensive approach aims to identify and mitigate factors adversely affecting public health.

The MAHA commission has set ambitious goals and timelines for its work. Within 100 days of its establishment, the commission is tasked with producing a comprehensive assessment of the childhood chronic disease crisis in America (“Make our Children Healthy Again Assessment”). Following this, the commission has 180 days to develop a strategy to improve children's health. These tight deadlines underscore the urgency of the initiative and suggest that nurses may soon see changes in healthcare priorities and practices.

How Might MAHA Impact Nursing Practice?

The commission's work is centered around several key policy directives that could significantly impact nursing practice:

• Increased Focus on Preventive Care: Nurses might need to adapt to a greater emphasis on disease prevention, root causes, and lifestyle interventions.
• Changes in Nutrition Education: Nurses may need to enhance their knowledge of nutrition and Food is Medicine programs to support the commission's goals, likely requiring additional continuing education to stay current with the latest developments in disease prevention and treatment.
• Expanded Roles in Public Health: The commission's work may result in new public health initiatives, potentially expanding nurses' roles in community health education, preventive care and advocacy.
• Potential Changes in Healthcare Practices: The commission's findings could lead to new guidelines or recommendations for treating and preventing chronic diseases in children, which may affect nursing practices.
• Potential Shifts in Healthcare Delivery: The commission's recommendations could lead to changes in how healthcare is delivered, potentially affecting nurses' day-to-day responsibilities. This likely includes additional interdisciplinary collaboration with nutrition, environmental health, and public policy professionals.

Beyond MAHA, What Are Trump’s Healthcare Priorities?

Additional healthcare policy priorities for President Trump's second term that could significantly impact the nursing profession include:

• ACA Changes: Trump rescinded Biden's order that extended ACA enrollment periods and reduced funding for enrollment assistance. This could lead to decreased insurance coverage, potentially increasing the number of uninsured patients nurses may encounter.
• Medicaid Reform: The Trump agenda proposes establishing lifetime caps or time limits on receiving Medicaid and implementing stricter eligibility determinations. This could increase the number of uninsured patients, potentially leading to more complex cases for nurses due to delayed care.
• Drug Pricing: Trump rolled back policies aimed at limiting drug spending by Medicaid and Medicare. This might result in higher medication costs for patients, potentially affecting medication adherence and patient outcomes that nurses monitor.
• Immigration Enforcement: Trump rescinded guidelines protecting hospitals from immigration raids. This could create challenging ethical situations for nurses and may deter some patients from seeking care, potentially leading to more severe health issues when they do seek treatment.
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs): There are proposals to eliminate excessive supervision requirements for APRNs, provide equal pay for equal work, and enable APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and clinical training. This could significantly expand the role and autonomy of APRNs.

Collectively, these policies indicate a shift towards deregulation, state control, and an emphasis on cost reduction in healthcare. Nurses should be prepared to adapt to changes in patient demographics, care delivery models, and regulatory requirements. The potential expansion of APRN roles could offer new opportunities for nurses, while changes to insurance coverage and immigration enforcement policies may present new challenges in patient care and ethical considerations.

The establishment of the MAHA commission, and other expected changes to healthcare delivery broadly, represents a significant shift in U.S. healthcare policy. As key stakeholders in the healthcare system, nurses need to stay informed about the commission's work and its potential impacts. By understanding the commission's objectives, focus areas, and potential implications, nurses can better prepare themselves to adapt to changing healthcare priorities and continue providing high-quality, evidence-based care to their patients.

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