HHS Plans to Reduce Workforce by About 10,000 Full-Time Employees

The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Thursday that about 10,000 full-time employees will soon lose their jobs, on top of the nearly 10,000 who have already left the agency in the last few months through buyout offers or early retirements.

This brings the total number of employees to approximately 62,000 individuals — a decrease from the initial count of 82,000 when the Trump administration began. This organization manages various subdivisions including the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

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“We’re not merely cutting down on administrative complexity; we are restructuring the organization to align more closely with its fundamental goals and our updated priorities aimed at tackling the persistent issue of chronic diseases,” stated HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., on Thursday.

"This transformation will benefit both taxpayers and the individuals served by HHS. It affects all Americans since our objective is to Restore Health to America Once More," Kennedy stated.

Kennedy stated that the recent reductions would save taxpayers $1.8 billion annually. These changes will decrease the number of regional offices from ten to five. Additionally, they plan to consolidate the present 28 divisions within HHS into 15 divisions, including a newly established division dedicated to Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which will be called the Administration for a Healthy America.

"We plan to get rid of a whole slew of bureaucratic departments and agencies but maintain their essential roles by integrating them into a newly formed entity named the Administration for a Healthy America," Kennedy stated in a video released on Thursday that outlined the reductions.

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Despite cutting nearly one-quarter of the agency, the department maintains that the restructuring won't impact "critical services."

The actual effects of the latest round of budget reductions are yet to become clear. Notably, these cuts have already affected leading scientists at the National Institute of Health’s Alzheimer's research facility as well as epidemiologists tasked with uncovering novel contagious diseases.

Several Republicans on Capitol Hill expressed varied opinions regarding the reductions.

Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis expressed her concern over hasty decisions being made regarding the cuts to the Health and Human Services Department.

Florida GOP Representative Byron Donalds dismissed any worries regarding reductions to HHS.

"The federal government we lead suffers from excessive bureaucracy. Expenditure seems to be a dependency here. It’s crucial that we discover methods to manage public funds prudently and effectively; this marks the beginning of a transformative journey within the federal administration which will undoubtedly ensure fiscal responsibility and efficiency for the betterment of our country,” he stated.

On their part, Democrats mentioned they were still awaiting further details regarding the reductions.

Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper criticized the absence of a clear strategy for implementing effective reductions.

“I believe we require additional planning and greater emphasis on ensuring that we keep delivering essential services — such as those provided by Health and Human Services,” Hickenlooper stated. “Our discussions include topics like Medicaid and the extensive research conducted to develop life-saving innovations like vaccines. Cutting off support for thousands upon thousands of individuals would be nonsensical.”

Will McDuffie, Allison Pecorin, Arthur Jones II, and Lauren Peller from ABC News have all contributed to this report.