There were some programs that were cut that are being reinstated," Kennedy told ABC News. "Personnel that should not have been cut were cut; we're reinstating them, and that was always the plan." The restructuring plan is part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s workforce optimization initiative,

HHS administers health insurance programs that affect nearly half the U.S. population, including Medicare and Medicaid, and regulates medical products and food. Critics warn that the scale of the cuts could jeopardize disease response capacity, scientific research, and regulatory oversight.