March 9, 2025
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is offering voluntary buyouts to all employees, a move that could reshape the nation’s public health workforce at a critical time. The department is providing up to $25,000 in separation incentive payments to its approximately 80,000 workers in an effort to reduce staffing levels and curb government spending. The decision comes as Kansas battles the largest tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in modern U.S. history and Texas faces a severe measles resurgence—the worst in over three decades.
A Workforce Reduction Amid Public Health Crises
According to a memo first reported by CBS News, HHS employees received an email notifying them of the buyout program, which applies to all agency divisions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The move has raised concerns among public health officials who fear that a shrinking federal workforce could hinder the ability to combat emerging health threats.
The timing of the buyout announcement is particularly concerning as local health departments in Kansas and Texas work to contain ongoing outbreaks of infectious diseases. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has reported 67 active TB cases and 79 latent infections across Wyandotte and Johnson counties, making it the most significant TB outbreak in U.S. history. The airborne disease, which primarily affects the lungs, has posed logistical and financial challenges for health officials scrambling to provide free testing and treatment to affected individuals.
Meanwhile, in Texas, the Department of State Health Services has confirmed 198 measles cases since late January, including 23 hospitalizations and one fatality—a school-aged child who was unvaccinated. The outbreak has been largely concentrated in South Plains counties, where vaccine hesitancy has contributed to the disease’s spread. Dr. Peter Hotez, a leading vaccine expert, warned that Texas is facing a “very large, very dangerous” public health crisis (Houston Chronicle).
The Impact of Federal Workforce Cuts
The proposed HHS buyouts come amid broader efforts to scale back federal employment, aligning with the administration’s fiscal policy goals. However, the move could disproportionately affect epidemiologists, disease control specialists, and public health researchers who play crucial roles in outbreak containment.
“If HHS loses a significant number of experienced personnel, we risk slowing our ability to respond to public health emergencies,” said Dr. Angela Simmons, a former CDC official. “These outbreaks in Kansas and Texas highlight the need for a well-resourced public health system, not one facing cutbacks.”
In Kansas, local health officials have already expressed concerns about resource constraints as they work to manage the TB outbreak. “We’re seeing increased demand for testing and treatment,” said Dr. Michael Reynolds of the Kansas Department of Health. “But with potential reductions in federal support, it will be a challenge to maintain an effective response.”
Similarly, in Texas, medical professionals fear that a shrinking federal workforce could further undermine efforts to combat vaccine misinformation and increase immunization rates. Public health advocates argue that the government should be ramping up, not downsizing, efforts to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases.
What Comes Next?
Going forward, experts stress the need for proactive measures to ensure that public health agencies remain equipped to manage crises. This includes investing in disease surveillance, expanding vaccination programs, and addressing misinformation that contributes to vaccine hesitancy.
While the HHS buyout program remains voluntary, its long-term implications remain uncertain. What is clear, however, is that infectious diseases do not wait for bureaucratic restructuring. As TB cases in Kansas rise and measles spreads through Texas, the nation’s public health infrastructure faces a test of resilience—and the stakes could not be higher.
For ongoing updates on public health challenges and policy responses, visit Contagion Live and Verywell Health.
