# Department of Health and Human Services 

[Back to Downsizing Government](/downsizing-government) 

##### Blog Posts 

##### [Medicare and Social Security Are Responsible for 100 Percent of US Unfunded Obligations](/blog/medicare-social-security-are-responsible-100-percent-us-unfunded-obligations) 

By [Romina Boccia](https://www.cato.org/people/romina-boccia) 

##### [Reforming Medicaid DSH Payments](/blog/reforming-medicaid-dsh-payments-1) 

By [Krit Chanwong](https://www.cato.org/people/krit-chanwong) 

##### [Reforming Medicaid Subsidies](/blog/reforming-medicaid-subsidies) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) and [Krit Chanwong](https://www.cato.org/people/krit-chanwong) 

##### [More Big Government Is Not What Families Need](/blog/more-big-government-not-what-families-need) 

By [Colleen Hroncich](https://www.cato.org/people/colleen-hroncich) 

##### [The “Build Back Better” Childcare Disaster](/blog/build-back-better-childcare-disaster) 

By [Ryan Bourne](https://www.cato.org/people/ryan-bourne) 

### [Timeline: Department of Health and Human Services](/downsizing-government-essay/department-health-human-services-timeline)

Explore a historical timeline of U.S. health and welfare policy, tracing major legislation, program expansion, and institutional growth within federal health agencies.

[View Timeline](/downsizing-government-essay/department-health-human-services-timeline) 

##### Department of Health and Human Services Spending 

[![Dept. of Health and Human Services Static Graph](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/pubs_2x/public/2025-10/HealthHumanSvcsOutlays.png?itok=VgVywxiN)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government/charts#/selectedIDs=AG006) 

This chart was generated using our [interactive charting tool](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government/charts#/selectedIDs=AG004), which visualizes data from the federal spending database released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

#### Featured Content 

[![Health Insurance compliance image 2](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-03/health-insurance-img-Cropped.jpg?itok=9ZSwNSEq)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/medicare-reforms) 

Study 

### [Medicare Reforms](/downsizing-government-essay/medicare-reforms) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) and [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

Medicare should be transformed into a system based on vouchers, individual savings, and competitive insurance markets.

[![health insurance](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-09/GettyImages-1483923644.jpg?itok=UFf8b2zV)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/medicaid-reforms) 

Study 

### [Medicaid Reforms](/downsizing-government-essay/medicaid-reforms) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) 

Federal spending on low-income health care should be converted to block grants for the states.

[![Inflation.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2021-11/Inflation.jpg?itok=IU7xOAJm)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/tanf-federal-welfare) 

Study 

### [TANF and Federal Welfare](/downsizing-government-essay/tanf-federal-welfare) 

By [Michael D. Tanner](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-d-tanner) and [Tad DeHaven](https://www.cato.org/people/tad-dehaven) 

Welfare reforms in 1996 created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, but such aid should be provided by private charities.

[![Child Online Safety stock image](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2023-05/online-child-safety.jpg?itok=j4b-Y9Ud)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/head-start-other-subsidies) 

Study 

### [Head Start and Other Subsidies](/downsizing-government-essay/head-start-other-subsidies) 

By [Tad DeHaven](https://www.cato.org/people/tad-dehaven) 

HHS funds a vast array of other subsidy programs, many of which are wasteful and ineffective.

[![Health Insurance Form](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-03/health-insurance-cropped.jpg?itok=cDvKRW3n)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/2010-health-care-legislation) 

Study 

### [2010 Health Care Legislation](/downsizing-government-essay/2010-health-care-legislation) 

By [Michael D. Tanner](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-d-tanner) 

The law expanded Medicaid, added new taxes and subsidies, created new bureaucracies, and did little to reduce cost growth in health care.

[![Downsizing Government](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/aside_mobile/public/2025-05/Downsizing%20Gov.png?itok=4YAi4cGI)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government) 

##### About 

The federal government is running huge budget deficits, spending too much, and heading toward a financial crisis. Without a change of direction in Washington, average working families will be faced with large tax increases and a lower standard of living. This project is designed to help policymakers and the public understand where federal spending goes and how to reform each government department. It describes the failings of agencies and identifies specific programs to cut. It also discusses the systematic reasons why government programs are often obsolete, mismanaged, or otherwise dysfunctional.

Please contact Chris Edwards at [cedwards@​cato.​org](mailto:cedwards@cato.org) with questions or comments.

[Information on the data sources for our charts.](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government/charts?showAbout=true)