41% of health agency staff to be furloughed as US gov't shutdown looms
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The US Health Department plans to furlough over 32,000 workers amid a looming government shutdown, disrupting CDC messaging and NIH research.
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The US Department of Health and Human Services is seen in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025 (AP)
Facing a looming government shutdown that Congress has yet to prevent, the US Department of Health and Human Services will furlough 41% of its workforce and suspend critical functions, including public health messaging, contractor oversight, and medical research.
A total of 32,460 employees out of 79,717 are expected to be furloughed under the contingency staffing plan that the DHHS released over the weekend. The department's contingency plan ensures the continuation of essential programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and Food and Drug Administration drug approvals, yet it forces significant disruptions upon other critical public health functions.
"CDC communication to the American public about health-related information will be hampered, CMS will be unable to provide oversight to major contractors, and NIH will not have the ability to admit new patients to the Clinical Center, except for whom it is medically necessary," the summary of the plan stated.
Sweeping consequences and a tight deadline
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is set to furlough 64% of its staff, would lose its capacity to provide state and local health departments with guidance on key public health issues, including opioid overdoses, HIV prevention, and diabetes prevention.
The National Institutes of Health would furlough over 75% of its workforce, a move that would halt grant peer reviews, advisory council meetings, and basic research.
The FDA is expected to retain 86% of its workforce, a retention level that contrasts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which will keep only 53% of its employees.
Facing a Tuesday deadline to pass legislation that would keep the federal government open and avert a partial shutdown, Republicans and Democrats are showing no signs of agreeing to a temporary spending fix.
The administration of President Donald Trump has escalated the showdown with Democrats by threatening to permanently remove workers from some agencies if funding runs out, and he is expected to meet with officials on Monday in an effort to resolve the crisis.
