Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced plans Thursday to slash the Division of Well being and Human Companies, chopping practically 1 / 4 of its workforce in a significant restructuring that can consolidate a number of departments.
In keeping with the Division of Well being, the cuts will save $1.8 billion yearly and cut back the worker headcount from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time workers. Mixed with earlier layoffs, the company stated, the layoffs will convey the division right down to about 62,000 employees.
Beneath a restructuring plan, the variety of well being division divisions will drop from 28 divisions to fifteen — together with a brand new Administration for a Wholesome America, or AHA. The variety of regional workplaces will drop from 10 to 5.
“We aren’t simply lowering bureaucratic sprawl,” the Well being secretary stated in an announcement. “We’re realigning the group with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the continual illness epidemic. This Division will do extra — much more — at a decrease price to the taxpayer.”
Many within the nationwide and world well being group have been steeling themselves for dramatic change since Kennedy, an opponent of some vaccines and an advocate of stronger meals security, took workplace vowing radical reform.
The first goal of Kennedy’s cuts is the Meals and Drug Administration, which works to make sure the security and efficacy of meals, medicine, medical units, tobacco and different regulated merchandise. It’s going to reduce its workforce by 3,500 full-time workers, in accordance with a well being division truth sheet.
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, an enormous $9-billion company that works to forestall continual illnesses, combat infectious illness outbreaks and make vaccine suggestions, may even reduce 2,400 workers. The Nationwide Institutes of Well being, the first federal authorities company for conducting and supporting medical analysis, cuts 1,200 workers.
In an tackle posted to the social media platform X, Kennedy painted a darkish, apocalyptic image of the U.S well being division, noting that as its funds and employees elevated, all that cash has failed to enhance the well being of People.
“Actually, the speed of continual illness and most cancers elevated dramatically as our division has grown,” he stated. “Our lifespan has dropped. So People now stay six years shorter than Europeans. Now we have the sickest nation on the earth, and we now have the best price of continual illness. The US ranks final amongst 40 developed nations when it comes to well being, however we spend two to a few instances extra per capita than these nations.”
Kennedy known as his division an “inefficient” and “sprawling paperwork” that had seen charges of most cancers and continual illness enhance as its funds had elevated.
“After I arrived, I discovered that over half of our workers don’t even come to work,” Kennedy stated. “HHS has greater than 100 communications workplaces and greater than 40 IT departments and dozens of procurement workplaces and 9 HR departments. In lots of instances, they don’t even discuss to one another. They’re primarily working of their silos.”
Throughout the Biden administration, Kennedy stated the well being division funds had elevated by 38% as staffing elevated by 17%.
“However all that cash has failed to enhance the well being of People,” he stated.
Kennedy admitted that his overhaul of the division could be a “painful interval” for the company. However he stated he wished all workers to rally collectively “behind a easy, daring mission.”
“I need each HHS worker to get up each morning asking themselves, ‘What can I do to revive American well being at present?’ I need to empower everybody within the HHS household to have a way of goal and satisfaction and a way of non-public company and duty to this bigger objective. We’re going to avoid wasting taxpayers practically $2 billion a 12 months, and we’re going to return HHS to its authentic dedication to public well being.”
