U.S. Health Department to Cut 10,000 Jobs in Restructuring Effort

What Happened?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday it is cutting 10,000 full-time employees in a move to shrink its workforce.

In addition to 10,000 employees who’ve reportedly left voluntarily, the department said it will consolidate from 28 to 15 divisions.

HHS will soon downsize from about 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees across health agencies, according to an issued statement.

This includes adding a new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) and reducing regional offices from 10 to five.

According to reports, HHS has offered some employees early retirement and resignation packages.

Some offered a lump sum of up to $25,000 and several weeks of pay.

In accordance with President Donald Trump's executive order, the reductions will reportedly help save the government $1.8 billion per year.

'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,' HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. 'This Department will do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer.'

The restructuring of HHS will also ensure programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and other essential health services remain intact.

HHS reportedly has a budget of nearly $2 trillion as the majority covers benefits for Americans covered by Medicaid and Medicare.

Why it Matters

Previous attempts were made to cut staff in February after hundreds of probationary employees were dismissed across HHS agencies.

The Trump administration has pushed forward government-wide with massive federal cuts to address the nation's debt deficit.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to shutter the U.S. Department of Education as part of his 'Reduction in Force' (RIF) plan.

The Department of Education announced it was shrinking its workforce by nearly 50%, with cuts to all divisions.

This also includes the closure of seven of the office’s 12 regional locations.

The HHS and other federal departments were all required this month to submit plans that involve downsizing their workforces.

Union leaders have challenged the administration's actions through lawsuits to stop what some have called 'executive overreach.'

How it Affects You

The Trump administration has recently moved to reinstate at least 24,500 fired probationary workers following a pair of court orders that deemed the terminations were illegal.

But a recent report stated that a judge could narrow that order for workers based just in Washington D.C. over a lack of power.

As for HHS, those like Senator Angela Alsobrooks warn that the layoffs are 'dangerous and deadly' and 'will cost lives.'

It will be critical to see in the coming months how some departments function if treatment efforts are disrupted as a result of these health cuts.