- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a significant overhaul of the Department of Health and Human Services. The plan also reduces regional offices, leaving only five open across the U.S.
- These reductions are aimed at streamlining operations without impacting essential health services.
- Medicare and Medicaid services will remain unaffected by the reorganization.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unveiled a sweeping plan to overhaul the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), slashing 20,000 jobs as part of a significant restructuring effort. The announcement came Thursday, March 27, following President Donald Trump’s executive order to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
Kennedy, who now serves as HHS secretary, said the department’s budget and staffing had ballooned during the Biden administration but had not translated into improved health outcomes for Americans.
“During the Biden administration, HHS’ budget increased by 38%, and its staffing grew by 17%, but all that money has failed to improve the health of Americans,” Kennedy said in a video on social media.
We are streamlining HHS to make our agency more efficient and more effective. We will eliminate an entire alphabet soup of departments, while preserving their core functions by merging them into a new organization called the Administration for a Healthy America or AHA. This… pic.twitter.com/BlQWUpK3u7
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) March 27, 2025
Significant workforce reductions and reorganization
HHS will reduce its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 employees as part of the overhaul. This change will consolidate 28 divisions under the department into just 15. In addition, regional offices will be reduced by half, with five remaining open across the United States.
Kennedy emphasized that these cuts are part of a larger plan to refocus HHS on its core mission of combating chronic disease and improving public health.
“We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy said in a statement.
Job cuts at key agencies
The FDA, which will see the largest staff reduction, will cut 3,500 jobs. The cuts will reportedly streamline operations and centralize administrative functions, though key roles in drug, medical device and food inspection will remain unaffected.
Notably, Trump administration officials had already removed FDA employees who were considered probationary or new hires.
The CDC will reduce its workforce by 2,400 as part of what Kennedy says is a shift back to its core mission of epidemic and outbreak response. The NIH will slash 1,200 positions by centralizing procurement, human resources and communications across its 27 institutes. Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will cut 300 jobs to eliminate duplication across the agency.
Despite these cuts, Kennedy assured that HHS would continue to provide more efficient services while saving taxpayers $1.8 billion.
“I want to promise you now that we’re going to be doing more with less. No American is going to be left behind,” Kennedy said.
Focus on health and environment
Kennedy’s reorganization plan includes a new division, the “Administration for a Healthy America,” which will merge multiple agencies to focus on key areas such as maternal and child health, mental health, HIV/AIDS and workforce development.
The CDC will join forces with the administration responsible for handling national disasters and public health emergencies.
A newly created “Enforcement Secretary” will oversee Medicare appeals, combat fraud and abuse in federal health programs and manage the Office for Civil Rights. Another division will focus on health policy research, while a separate sector will support older Americans and individuals with disabilities, integrating Medicare and Medicaid services.
Kennedy also stressed that while changes are underway, the reorganization will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services.
Looking ahead
HHS confirmed that no additional cuts are currently planned, but the department will continue exploring ways to streamline its operations.
With a budget close to $2 trillion, much of which is allocated to Medicare and Medicaid, Kennedy said the department is focused on improving efficiency while addressing key public health challenges, including the fight against environmental toxins, access to wholesome food and clean water.
