US To Cut $600M Health Funding To Democratic States
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to cut about $600M in public health grants to California, Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado, citing that the programs do not align with White House priorities.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to cut about $600M in public health grants to California, Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado, citing that the programs do not align with White House priorities.
The funding came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was intended to support state and local health departments, including hiring staff, updating data systems, and managing disease outbreaks. However, some programs were only benefiting specific community groups.
Some cuts will be completed by the end of this week, and others by the end of the month. Nearly two-thirds of the unused money is in California.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said, “These grants are being terminated because they do not reflect agency priorities.” These $600million include about two dozen grants that were meant to be used for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Dr. Deb Houry, who served as the CDC’s chief medical officer and resigned in August, noted that Congress had already approved the funding and warned, before leaving, that cutting public health funding during measles outbreaks and other health threats could put communities at risk. She also said that recent staff cuts at federal health agencies have exacerbated the situation.
Some funding cuts will affect the partner organizations. These include $7.2 million from the American Medical Association in Illinois, $5.2 million from a children’s hospital in Chicago for HIV prevention among Black women, and smaller grants to support LGBTQ seniors and minority communities.
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Last year, the CDC changed its website to reflect the new priorities. The agency said it wants to move away from programs focused on specific groups, noting that these programs have not improved health outcomes. Recently, HHS paused $5 billion in public health grants but lifted the pause within one day.
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