As part of a significant reorganization of the department, officials stated Thursday that the Trump administration intends to reduce the Department of Health and Human Services’ personnel by almost a quarter.
Several health agency managers are currently rushing to determine the specifics of how the reorganization may affect their operations.
Trump officials across the government have stated that they want to make most of the changes as soon as possible, usually within ten days.
The workforce will be about 33% smaller as a result of the adjustments than it was at the end of the Biden administration.
Federal statistics show that the department’s workforce increased from 81,917 at the end of the Trump administration to around 92,620 in September 2024.
In addition to other open positions that won’t be filled, the layoffs will result in the loss of about 10,000 full-time employees.
In addition to the thousands of contractor and fellowship posts that were also removed, the agency has already seen the departure of thousands of full-time employees in recent months.
The government estimated that the adjustments would save taxpayers $1.8 billion. “When combined with HHS’ other efforts, including early retirement and Fork in the Road, the restructuring results in a total downsizing from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees,” the department said in a release.
“No additional cuts are currently planned” beyond those revealed Thursday and in recent weeks, according to a fact sheet provided to reporters and health officials.
The fact sheet states that 3,500 positions at the Food and Drug Administration will be eliminated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. Additionally, 1,200 National Institutes of Health jobs are being eliminated by the government.
“This reduction will not affect drug, medical device, or food reviewers, nor will it impact inspectors,” the FDA fact sheet states.
Approximately 2,400 people will leave the CDC, according to the department, in order to “focus on returning to its core mission of preparing for and responding to epidemics and outbreaks.”
The cuts are not meant to jeopardize the agency’s work on infectious diseases, according to one U.S. official.
The employment at CMS, which had already been subject to hiring restrictions because of a financial shortage in recent years, will drop by “approximately 300 employees, with a focus on reducing minor duplication” from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
It states that neither Medicare nor Medicaid services will be impacted by the reorganization.
According to a letter delivered to unions in multiple HHS agencies on Thursday, the department’s reduction-in-force “is primarily aimed at administrative positions,” but it “will also target roles in high-cost regions” and those that are “determined to be redundant or duplicative” with others.
“Specific notices to employees may be sent as early as Friday, March 28,” the letter said.
“The entire federal workforce is downsizing now. So this will be a painful period for HHS,” Kennedy stated in a video announcement that the agency released on Thursday.
As part of the comprehensive restructure designed in collaboration with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting task group, health authorities had been anticipating significant cuts to be announced this week.
As they arrived at work this morning, a number of health department staff reported seeing increased security. According to officials, with the exception of a few modifications that have already been announced within the department, managers have mainly been unaware of the changes.
The number of general counsel offices will be drastically reduced, reducing the number of attorneys in the department, according to a substantial adjustment that was revealed earlier this month.
According to one health official, two-thirds of the HHS regional attorneys would be eliminated as a result of the cutbacks.
According to two officials, the Health Resources and Services Administration is anticipating significant layoffs as a result of the merger, including to the Provider Relief Bureau and human resources departments.
The CDC will incorporate the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which was promoted to a distinct agency during the Biden administration to manage initiatives like as the pandemic stockpile.
According to a health official, the two agencies are currently rushing to create arrangements for their merger by Saturday.
The Office of Strategy will be created by merging the work of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which had been anticipating that DOGE will lay off up to 90% of its employees.
Additionally, the government announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and other agencies will take up the Administration for Community Living’s responsibilities aimed at older citizens and individuals with disabilities.
It is yet unknown exactly who will be eliminated from the department within the agencies as a result of the new reorganization plans.
Other than Kennedy’s declaration, some federal health officials said that they had not received much direction from the agency as of Thursday morning.
Kennedy stated in the video that the modifications were “focused on paring away excess administrators while increasing the number of scientists and frontline health providers.”
This Information has been sourced from cbsnews.
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