19 states sue over Trump administration's drastic cuts to health services
- A federal lawsuit was filed by attorneys general from 19 states and Washington, D.C. against the Trump administration over cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- The restructuring involved the elimination of over 10,000 employees and significant agency consolidations, leading to claims of reduced public health capabilities.
- The lawsuit argues that these changes undermine essential health programs and shift financial burdens back to the states, posing risks to public health.
In March 2025, a significant restructuring of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) occurred, resulting in over 10,000 job cuts and the consolidation of 28 divisions into 15. This restructuring was led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and aimed at streamlining the agency, which has a $1.7 trillion budget mostly allocated for healthcare services. However, attorneys general from 19 states and Washington, D.C. filed a lawsuit in federal court in Providence, Rhode Island, contending that the drastic cuts compromise essential health services and violate constitutional provisions regarding congressional authority over agency funding and operations. The plaintiffs argue that these measures have left the department incapable of fulfilling its core functions, threatening vital public health programs, and increasing responsibilities for states allocated resources that they can no longer manage effectively. The lawsuit highlights specific setbacks, including limited testing for infectious diseases and setbacks in programs addressing maternal health and addiction, indicating that the restructuring is not merely a matter of efficiency but a dangerous abandonment of public health mandates. Officials state that the job reductions could potentially save taxpayers billions but at the cost of critical health oversight and community welfare. States maintained that the cuts impede their ability to provide necessary healthcare services, potentially forcing them to absorb many costs that were federally supported previously, thus threatening the health of countless communities across the nation.