Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. The Cabinet-level Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was created under President Eisenhower, officially coming into existence April 11, 1953. In 1979, the Department of Education Organization Act was signed into law, providing for a seperate Department of Education. HEW became the Department of Health and Human Services, officially arriving on May 4, 1980. The Department includes more than 300 programs, covering a wide spectrum of activities. Some highlights include: Health and social science research, assuring food and drug safety, Medicare and Medicaid, and health information technology.

HHS represents almost a quarter of all federal outlays, and it administers more grant dollars than all other federal agencies combined. HHS’ Medicare program is the nation’s largest health insurer, handling more than 1 billion claims per year. Medicare and Medicaid together provide health care insurance for one in four Americans.

HHS works closely with state and local governments, and many HHS-funded services are provided at the local level by state or county agencies, or through private sector grantees. The Department’s programs are administered by 11 operating divisions, including eight agencies in the U.S. Public Health Service and three human services agencies. In addition to the services they deliver, the HHS programs provide for equitable treatment of beneficiaries nationwide, and they enable the collection of national health and other data.

There are three agencies that deal with oncology and that fall under HHS’ jurisdiction. They are the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Food & Drug Administration and the National Insitutes of Health. This and more information about the Department of Health and Human Services can be found on the department’s website at www.hhs.gov.