USA: RFK Jr. prepares 10,000 more job cuts across HHS, outlines office consolidations

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is set to slash 10,000 full-time jobs and further remake the agency in the Trump administration’s vision.

These cuts—in line with the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE's) "workforce optimization" efforts—will save the agency $1.8 billion per year, HHS said in a Thursday morning news release. 

Approximately 300 cuts will hit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These layoffs will prioritize “reducing minor duplication,” but promising the reorganization will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services.

At the Food and Drug Administration, 3,500 workers will be let go. HHS said the cuts will not affect drug, medical device or food reviewers. Inspectors will also not be impacted.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will fire 2,400 employees, while the National Institutes of Health will slash its workforce by 1,200 workers and “centralize procurement, human resources and communications” across 27 institutes and centres, a fact sheet explains.

HHS said they do not anticipate cuts beyond these, but the department will seek additional opportunities to “streamlines its operations and agencies.”

"This will be a painful period for HHS as we downsize from 82,000 employees to 62,000, but we are keenly focused on paring away excess administrators while increasing the number of scientists and frontline health providers so we can do a better job for the American people," Kennedy said.

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Source: Fierce Healthcare, 27 March 2025