The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to cut its workforce by a quarter, eliminating 10,000 positions. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has vowed to gut the entire agency in his effort to Make America Healthy Again, vowing that eliminating excess bureaucracy will allow the agency “to do more with less.”
The agency plans to cut $11 billion in public health funding, and while Kennedy admits there will be a “painful period” ahead, one must look at the numbers and realize that these inflated agencies have not led to improved health care. “All of that money,” Kennedy said of the department’s $1.7 trillion yearly budget, “has failed to improve the health of Americans.”
America is one of the sickest nations in the developed world. Critics believe that these cuts will damage public health, but America is spending nearly 18% of its GDP on health care initiatives without results. The average American will not live to see 80 years of age. The average life expectancy stands around 76.4 years, according to the CDC, with women living an average of 79.3 years and men expiring sooner at 73.5. Those figures have been steadily declining each year. In comparison, the global average is 82.5 years.
The US ranks 32 out of 38 OCED nations for life expectancy. Yet, the US spends far more per capita on health compared to other developed nations. In 2023, America spent $13,432 per capita. In comparison, Switzerland and Germany, the second and third highest spenders, only pay a bit over $7,000 per capita and have healthier populations.
Young Americans (25-29) are dying at a rate 3X higher than their peers in advanced economies. Kennedy’s main platform has been to speak on behalf of the children of America, who are facing increased risks of illness compared to past generations. Kennedy claims 66% of children suffer from some form of a health condition, with other estimates putting this figure closer to 40%.
The Biden Administration increased the health department budget by 38% and inflated the workforce by 17%. Additional funding did not address the root causes of America’s health epidemic. Kennedy plans to consolidate 28 divisions into 15, and will cut regional offices from 10 to 5. A more cohesive agency will provide a “new era of responsiveness and a new era of effectiveness,” as we cannot continue funding measures that are not producing results.
