In testimony to the Senate Finance Committee, Mr. Kennedy seemed to confuse the two government programs that cover more than 150 million Americans.

Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story All eyes on Cassidy for second RFK Jr. hearing Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate

Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana quietly conducted a revealing cross-examination of Kennedy on Wednesday, ahead of the hearing on Thursday that he will lead. He could be a key vote to watch.

Sen. Bill Cassidy has emerged as a central figure in the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose nomination to health and human services secretary poses an equally consequential moment for the second-term Republican facing an uncertain political future in Louisiana.

As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced skeptical senators Thursday in the second day of his confirmation hearing to lead the department of Health and Human Services, Sen. Bill Cassidy confronted Kennedy about vaccines.

The GOP senator and former physician expressed misgivings about whether Trump’s controversial HHS pick could be trusted with the public’s health.

Aside from Cassidy, Republicans on the health committee remained friendly to Kennedy. Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who said his two sons wanted to vote for Kennedy in the presidential election, told the hearing that his granddaughter, due in the coming weeks, would not “be a pincushion” when it came to vaccines.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said “I’m not exactly sure” when asked by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.,) about how care for people who are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid could be integrated.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination for HHS secretary may be in jeopardy after Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), said he was "struggling" with Kennedy's decades-long history of anti-vaccine advocacy during a confirmation hearing on Thursday.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wanted "gold standard science" on vaccines, but when presented with compelling research, he cited reasons to doubt it.

More dramatic questioning on vaccines in RFK Jr's second confirmation hearing. Bond/Simmons-Duffin/Stone/Webber