Health economists and insurance industry groups warned Tuesday that a preventive care overhaul championed by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could sharply raise costs. The concerns centre on how the initiative would be financed, following reporting that the plan aims to broaden screening and wellness services across federal programmes.

The overhaul seeks to shift the American health system toward earlier detection and chronic disease prevention. It would expand coverage for screenings, nutrition counselling and lifestyle interventions under Medicare and Medicaid, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Analysts at the Kaiser Family Foundation and America's Health Insurance Plans cautioned that upfront spending on expanded preventive benefits often outpaces short-term savings. While prevention can reduce long-term disease burden, the fiscal returns typically take years to materialise and depend heavily on patient uptake.

The plan aligns with Kennedy's broader "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, which has prioritised chronic disease and diet-related illness since he took office. Supporters within HHS argued that redirecting resources toward prevention addresses the root causes of soaring treatment costs rather than symptoms.

Congressional appropriators are expected to press HHS officials for detailed cost projections before any expansion advances. Democratic lawmakers have questioned whether the initiative can be reconciled with parallel proposals to cut federal health spending.