Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as the newly appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has initiated a sweeping overhaul of the department, targeting a significant reduction in its workforce and a restructuring of its operations. On March 27, 2025, Kennedy announced plans to slash 20,000 jobs, reducing the HHS workforce from 82,000 to 62,000—a cut of nearly 25%. This move includes laying off 10,000 employees directly, while the other 10,000 have already left through buyouts or early retirements. The restructuring also involves consolidating the department’s 28 divisions into 15, with the creation of a new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) to centralize efforts on chronic disease prevention, aligning with Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Additionally, HHS will close half of its 10 regional offices, aiming to streamline operations and save taxpayers an estimated $1.8 billion annually.
 

The cuts are not limited to administrative roles but extend across key agencies under HHS’s umbrella, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Specifically, the CDC and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which are being merged, will see 2,400 employees fired, while the NIH will lose 1,200 workers through centralized functions like procurement and communications. CMS is set to cut 300 positions as part of the broader effort to eliminate what Kennedy calls “redundant units.” Kennedy has justified these drastic measures by arguing that HHS has become a “sprawling bureaucracy” that has failed to address rising rates of chronic diseases like cancer, despite its ballooning budget. He has also accused some divisions of being captured by the healthcare industry, claiming the restructuring will refocus the agency on its core mission of improving public health.
 

While Kennedy frames this as a necessary step to make HHS more efficient and accountable, the scale of the layoffs and consolidations has raised concerns about the potential impact on critical health services. The creation of the AHA, which will absorb offices dealing with addiction, toxic substances, and occupational safety, is intended to prioritize Kennedy’s focus on chronic disease, but critics worry that such deep cuts—especially in agencies like the CDC and NIH—could undermine public health infrastructure at a time when it’s needed most. The “painful period” Kennedy acknowledged may not only affect the thousands of employees losing their jobs but also the millions of Americans who rely on HHS programs like Medicare and Medicaid. As Kennedy pushes forward with his vision, the tension between his goal of reducing bureaucratic waste and the risk of disrupting essential services remains a critical point of debate.