The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning a fundamental realignment. This will force the agency into massive future layoffs and the merging of its various departments. The initiative was announced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to cut red tape within the agency. After all, this agency oversees the disbursement of $1.8 trillion in federal funding for programs and projects. Restoring the rule of law This new initiative fits right in with President Donald Trump’s big picture, “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
Now, HHS must manage 13 operating agencies. These elements extend to other federal agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. As one part of this restructuring process, the department anticipates cutting down its 28 agency divisions into 15 new ones. Notably, the newly formed Administration for a Healthy America is one of the divisions set to emerge from this consolidation.
The impact of these reforms are enormous, especially on the future of the player pipeline. HHS proposes eliminating over 1,200 positions at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At the same time, the FDA is expected to slash its own workforce by at least 3,500 full-time employees. In the meantime, the CDC is staring down layoff notices to about 2,400 employees. Impact of HHS Cuts HHS’s total workforce will decrease from 80,000 to 60,000. This shift is to occur through a mix of incentivized early retirements and mandatory firings.
The financial component of this overhaul is just as profound. The cuts were expected to save taxpayers at least $1.8 billion a year. Now, the administration is backtracking and slashing $11 billion in COVID-19-era funding prematurely released and previously distributed to states and local health departments. This decision comes at the same time as a substantial workforce cut.
The decision has been fiercely criticized from all sides. Political leaders, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, have raised the alarm about ways these cuts could devastate already vulnerable communities.
“This will directly harm our most vulnerable communities and make America sicker.” – Nancy Pelosi
Preston Burt, a communications specialist who recently received notification of his layoff, expressed his surprise and disappointment over the sudden decision. “It’s difficult to wrap your head around how suddenly everything got upended,” he added, echoing the feelings of most displaced workers.
As the GOP majority’s restructuring plan focuses largely on administrative efficiency, we must ask how that will affect services provided to the public health community. The CDC’s Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice is bracing for cuts. This proposed massive cut would make it more difficult for them to do so and address urgent public health needs throughout our communities.
Here’s why HHS officials are so committed to this restructuring. They claim it will increase the agency’s effectiveness and accountability overall, even through the ongoing issues. The reorg will allow our team to focus resources more strategically. Most importantly, it holds firm to our longtime core mission of protecting and advancing public health.
While the layoffs play out and agencies continue to reorganize, stakeholders from all corners of the healthcare landscape eagerly await the next move. Unfortunately, these cuts will have a significant and long-term effect on vital public health initiatives. They will fundamentally change how we deliver health services across the country, as well.