US health department to cut a significant workforce under Secretary RFK Jr.

US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday that it will cut 10,000 full-time employees across its various health agencies as part of a major reorganization effort led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 

The cut is on top of 10000 voluntary departures from employees previously. It will reduce the workforce from about 82000 to 62000 employees and would save the government $1.8 billion per year.

In a statement released on Thursday, HHS outlined plans to consolidate its operations by reducing the number of divisions from 28 to 15.

This new division will combine several offices, including the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 

“We aren’t just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy said. 

According to Kennedy, “over half of our employees don’t even come to work.” He mentioned in the video announcement, “H.H.S. has more than 100 communications offices and more than 40 I.T. departments and dozens of procurement offices and nine H.R. departments. In many cases, they don’t even talk to each other. They’re mainly operating in silos.”

We’re going to consolidate all of these departments and make them accountable to you, the American taxpayer, and the American patient,” JFK Jr. said. He further added that the department would “do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer.” 

HHS promised that essential health services like Medicare and Medicaid would remain unaffected by the restructuring. Kennedy explained that the goals would “honor aspirations of the vast majority” of the H.H.S employees who actually want to see a healthy America.

Job cuts will be made across several key units

The agency’s restructuring plan also includes specific cuts across several key units. About 3500 full-time employees will be reduced at the Food and Drug Administration unit. At the same time, drug, medical device, and food reviewers or inspectors will not be affected by these cuts. 

2400 employees will be cut in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unit. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) unit will cut 1,200 jobs. An additional 300 positions will be eliminated at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

A position for the assistant secretary for enforcement will be created. This new role will oversee the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and the Departmental Appeals Board. 

A new Office of Strategy will also be established. It will merge the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This office is expected to enhance research efforts that inform the Secretary’s policies and improve the effectiveness of federal health programs.

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response will move under the CDC. The unit is in charge of disaster and public health emergency responses. As a result, 1000 employees will be transferred to the CDC.

Furthermore, the Administration for Community Living, which supports older adults and people with disabilities, will be integrated into other HHS agencies.

Notices will go out as soon as Friday

Employee notifications about the workforce reduction are set to begin as soon as Friday. A formal reduction in force notice was reportedly sent to American Federation of Government Employees union leaders early on Thursday morning by Thomas J. Nagy Jr., deputy assistant secretary for human resources at HHS. 

According to the email, around 8000 – 10000 employees could be affected. These layoffs would begin as soon as 27th May. 

The planned reductions primarily target administrative roles. These include positions in human resources, information technology, procurement, and finance. 

The cuts will also focus on roles in high-cost regions and those deemed redundant or duplicative within HHS or across the federal government. 

Union leaders have been asked to indicate if or when they would like to start negotiations on the impact and implementation of these changes.

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