WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump Administration unleashed a sweeping reset of federal health and family policy this week, freezing billions in state aid, rolling back Biden-era child care rules, rewriting the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule, and issuing the most dramatic overhaul of U.S. nutrition guidance in decades.
In a rapid-fire series of announcements from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, officials said the changes are aimed at rooting out fraud, restoring scientific credibility, and reversing what they described as years of federal mismanagement and bureaucratic overreach.
HHS on Monday rescinded a set of 2024 Biden-era child care rules that required states to pay providers before verifying attendance and before care was delivered — a system the Trump administration says opened the door to massive abuse.
Under the new rules, states can once again require verified attendance before paying providers, issue payments after care is delivered, and rely on parent-directed vouchers instead of government contracts.
“Loopholes and fraud diverted that money to bad actors instead,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “Today, we are correcting that failure and returning these funds to the working families they were meant to serve.”
Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill pointed to Minnesota, where multiple child care programs are now under investigation, saying the old system allowed providers to bill for children who were not actually present.
At the same time, HHS froze access to major federal child care and family assistance funds for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York after what the department described as credible evidence of widespread fraud and misuse.
The action affects nearly $10.6 billion in federal funding, including nearly $2.4 billion from the Child Care and Development Fund, $7.35 billion in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and $869 million in Social Services Block Grant money. The five states must now submit receipts and justifications before any federal funds are released, as HHS activates its nationwide “Defend the Spend” oversight system and opens a fraud-reporting portal at childcare.gov.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has formally adopted a new U.S. childhood immunization framework after a sweeping international scientific review ordered by President Trump.
The review found that the United States recommends more childhood vaccines and doses than any other peer nation — but does not achieve higher vaccination rates or better public trust. Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill accepted recommendations to align U.S. policy with international consensus while keeping all vaccines available and covered by insurance.
Under the new framework, vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, Hib, pneumococcal disease, HPV, and chickenpox will remain recommended for all children. Other vaccines, including RSV, hepatitis A and B, dengue, and meningococcal strains, will be targeted to high-risk groups or decided through shared clinical decision-making with doctors and parents.
“All vaccines currently recommended by CDC will remain covered by insurance without cost sharing,” CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said. “No family will lose access.”
HHS leaders said the changes are designed to restore trust after public confidence in health institutions fell from 72% to 40% between 2020 and 2024.
The administration also unveiled the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, calling them the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades.
The new guidance urges Americans to eat “real food” — more protein, full-fat dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains — while sharply cutting highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars. It also calls for limiting alcohol and choosing water and unsweetened beverages.
“American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods,” Kennedy said. “This is how we Make America Healthy Again.”
The guidelines will shape everything from school lunches to military meals and federal nutrition programs. The administration also announced plans to fund new placebo-controlled and long-term studies on vaccines and nutrition to rebuild confidence in public health science.
Full details on the new dietary framework are available at realfood.gov.
Taken together, the actions mark a dramatic pivot in federal health and family policy — one that freezes billions in state funding, rewrites how children are vaccinated, and puts food, not pharmaceuticals, back at the center of Washington’s health agenda.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.