Xavier Becerra is a name you’ve probably heard in a dozen different contexts over the last few years. Maybe you remember him as the guy taking Donald Trump to court every other week when he was California’s Attorney General. Or maybe you know him as the first Latino to ever run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Honestly, his time in D.C. was a bit of a whirlwind.
He didn't just sit in a fancy office. He was the point man for some of the biggest shifts in American healthcare since the ACA was passed.
The HHS Years: More Than Just COVID
When Becerra took over HHS in early 2021, the world was still a mess. People forget how high the stakes were. He was stepping into a department that oversees everything from the CDC and FDA to Medicare and Medicaid. It's a massive, multi-trillion-dollar machine.
His confirmation wasn't exactly a walk in the park. It was a 50-49 vote—razor thin. Critics said he didn't have enough "medical" experience because he was a lawyer and a politician, not a doctor. But Becerra leaned into the policy side of things. He focused on the checkbook.
One of the biggest things he actually pulled off? Negotiating drug prices.
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For decades, the federal government was basically banned from negotiating what Medicare pays for prescription drugs. It was a sweet deal for Big Pharma and a raw one for seniors. Under Becerra's watch, and thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, HHS finally started knocking on doors. By 2024 and 2025, they were finalizing deals for heavy-hitters like Eliquis and Jardiance. We're talking about discounts ranging from 38% to nearly 80%. That’s real money staying in people’s pockets.
Reproductive Rights and the Post-Roe Reality
Then came June 2022. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and suddenly Becerra’s job shifted from "expanding care" to "protecting what's left."
It was a chaotic time. He was vocal—some would say strident—about making sure women could still access emergency care. He leaned on a law called EMTALA, which basically says hospitals have to stabilize patients in an emergency, even if that means performing an abortion.
He didn't stop there. He pushed for a public-private partnership to expand contraceptive access, specifically in places like California’s San Joaquin Valley where doctors are scarce. He also worked on making sure Medicaid and CHIP covered moms for a full year after giving birth. Before this, in many states, that coverage just vanished after 60 days.
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The 2026 Shift: Why He Left D.C.
As of early 2026, Xavier Becerra isn't at the helm of HHS anymore. He stepped down at the end of the Biden term in January 2025.
Why? Because he’s looking at a different office. He wants to be the next Governor of California.
He’s entering a crowded field. You’ve got names like Katie Porter and Antonio Villaraigosa in the mix. It’s a wide-open race, and frankly, it's getting a little messy.
There's this weird controversy swirling around a dormant campaign account he had. Prosecutors recently indicted a powerbroker in Sacramento, alleging that $225,000 was stolen from Becerra’s old account to pay off associates of a longtime aide. Now, to be clear: Becerra hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing. He says he had no idea it was happening. But in politics, "I wasn't paying attention" isn't always the best defense. His polling is sitting around 8% right now, so he’s got some climbing to do.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People often pigeonhole Becerra as just a "partisan fighter."
Sure, he sued the Trump administration over 120 times. But his actual legacy at HHS was more about the "Human Services" part of the title than most realize. He dumped billions into the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. He pushed for "continuous eligibility" so kids wouldn't get kicked off health insurance just because their parents had a tiny, temporary bump in income.
He treated healthcare like a civil right. That’s the attorney in him.
Whether he was dealing with wildfires in California—where he had to waive HIPAA rules so hospitals could actually talk to families during the chaos—or fighting for lower insulin prices, he operated like a litigator. He looks for the leverage point in the law and pulls it.
The Actionable Takeaway: What This Means for You
If you’re trying to keep up with how these policy shifts actually affect your life, here is what you need to track:
- Drug Price Drops: If you or a family member is on Medicare, keep an eye on the 2026 and 2027 price lists. The negotiations Becerra started are just now hitting the pharmacy counter.
- Postpartum Medicaid: If you’re in one of the states that expanded coverage to 12 months, make sure you’re actually utilizing those benefits. Many people still think it cuts off at two months.
- The California Primary: If you're a California voter, the June primary is going to be the real decider. Becerra is betting his HHS record can carry him home, but the field is stacked.
He’s a guy who rose from being the first in his family to graduate college to running the biggest social safety net in the world. Whether he ends up in the Governor’s mansion or not, the changes he made to Medicare are likely here to stay.