On March 24, 2025, during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., revealed plans to implement significant workforce reductions across the agency. The HHS aims to eliminate 10,000 full-time positions as part of a broader restructuring effort, which has raised eyebrows amid ongoing public health challenges.

This initiative follows the departure of approximately 10,000 employees who accepted voluntary separation offers since President Donald Trump’s administration began. Collectively, these reductions will decrease the HHS workforce by around 25%, bringing it down to approximately 62,000 employees.

Budget and Organizational Implications

The HHS, which oversees a $1.7 trillion budget and is responsible for various critical services—including vaccine oversight, public health preparedness, and healthcare for millions of Americans—will see job cuts in key divisions. These include those that administer insurance to low-income individuals, approve new pharmaceuticals, and manage responses to infectious disease outbreaks as noted by The Wall Street Journal.

As the U.S. faces one of the worst measles outbreaks in years, alongside rising cases of bird flu, the timing of these reductions may have serious implications for public health operations. HHS plans to close five of its ten regional offices; however, they assert that essential health services will remain intact.

Financial Justifications for Cuts

According to Kennedy, the restructuring is designed to “realign the organization with its core mission” and the initiative is projected to save taxpayers about $1.8 billion annually. In fiscal year 2024, the federal government reported expenditures of roughly $6.8 trillion.

  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA): 3,500 positions (19% of workforce)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 2,400 positions (18% of staff)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): 1,200 positions (6% of workforce)
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): 300 positions (4% of employees)

Reorganization Plans

Under the restructuring plan, HHS will consolidate its current 28 divisions into 15, effectively centralizing functions such as human resources and policy-making. A notable addition is the formation of the Administration for a Healthy America, which will merge various health-related offices to enhance resource coordination for low-income communities.

Furthermore, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which oversees disaster response and pandemic planning, will transition to operate under the CDC’s management.

Concerns from Health Experts

Critics, including Senator Ron Wyden from Oregon, have denounced the cuts as detrimental to American families, warning of the adverse effects on vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. Health policy experts, while acknowledging the necessity for occasional reorganization, have expressed skepticism regarding the effectiveness of such extensive cuts in achieving the desired administrative efficiencies.

Larry Levitt, of KFF, noted that while restructuring can streamline operations, cuts to the workforce are likely to hinder government services. He remarked, “With fewer people overseeing operations at HHS, issues may arise,” suggesting that delays and frustrations could plague patient care and health program management.

Kennedy’s Vision for Health Policy

Since taking office, Secretary Kennedy has emphasized the need to address what he terms “corporate corruption” within federal health agencies. He has committed to reviewing and potentially overhauling childhood vaccination policies as part of his broader health strategy, which advocates nutritious food over pharmaceuticals as a solution to health concerns.

This restructuring will reshape the U.S. health policy landscape and place increased scrutiny on the functionality of health services provided to citizens as they navigate existing and emerging public health challenges.