What does the do?

Refreshed annually

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch agency responsible for overseeing public health policy and administering funding for health programs and services. The department's functions include managing national health programs like Medicare and Medicaid, advancing medical research, ensuring food and drug safety, and promoting health equity for all individuals. It was established in 1980 after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was reorganized into separate entities.

In FY 2025,

$1.88T

was spent by the Department of Health and Human Services
In FY 2025,

26.8%

of federal spending was by the Department of Health and Human Services

How much does the Department of Health and Human Services spend?

The Department of Health and Human Services spent $1.88 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This was 26.8% of the $7.04 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked first among federal agencies in total spending.

The Department of Health and Human Services accounted for 26.8% of all federal spending in FY 2025.

Share of HHS net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2025

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Department of Health and Human Services’ federal spending has increased from $273 billion in 1980 to $1.88 trillion in 2025.

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The Department of Health and Human Services’s federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by HHS, adjusted for inflation (2025 dollars), FYs 1980–2025

Since 1980, the Department of Health and Human Services' spending has increased 590.2%, while overall spending has increased 196.9%.
The department’s spending grew more than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget increased. In 2025, HHS accounted for 26.8% of all federal spending. That’s 15.3 percentage points higher than 1980 and 0.7 points higher than in 2015.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Department of Health and Human Services's share of federal spending in FY 2025 was higher than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to HHS, FYs 1980–2025

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services transferred 41.4% of its total spending to states and local governments.
The chart below outlines all net HHS spending.

How did the Department of Health and Human Services spend its budget in 2025?

Federal government net spending isolated to HHS, FY 2025

Federal agencies often contain divisions including bureaus, offices, and subagencies. In FY 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services divisions with the highest expenditures were the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Administration for Children and Families, and the National Institutes of Health.

The Department of Health and Human Services's highest-spending division is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

HHS net spending by division, FY 2025

How many people work for the Department of Health and Human Services?

Some 73,000 of the 2.02 million total civilian federal employees work for the Department of Health and Human Services as of May 2026. This is 14.7% fewer people than the department staffed in 2012.

The number of federal employees working for the Department of Health and Human Services has decreased 14.7% since 2012.

Number of federal employees working for HHS, May 2012–2026

HHS accounts for 3.6% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. HHS constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in May 2026 than in 2012 (4.1%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Department of Health and Human Services’ share of the workforce (3.6%) is smaller than its share of the budget (26.8%).

Who leads the Department of Health and Human Services?

HHS is led by the secretary of Health and Human Services, who is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and then sworn into office. They are one of the 15 cabinet members serving at the president's discretion. This appointed position typically ends when the appointee resigns, is replaced, or when a new president takes office and appoints their own cabinet. Some cabinet members serve temporarily during transitions between administrations.

HHS has 13 divisions that operate across 10 regions. Each region is led by a director, also appointed by the president.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.