In this edition of AcademyHealth’s Situation Report, we cover the escalating federal shakeups reshaping the health research landscape. HHS Secretary RFK Jr. doubled down on controversial staffing and research cuts, prompting bipartisan concern. Meanwhile, a federal task force revoked nearly half a billion dollars in Harvard research funding over anti-discrimination failings, and a House tax bill advances with drastic Medicaid cuts that could leave millions uninsured. We’re also launching a new call to action: Help us show the real-world impact of these disruptions by sharing your story. Also in this issue: a study linking drug subsidy loss to higher mortality, urgent action for federal employees amid an HR tech overhaul, and a new jobs hub for policy-minded researchers.
In today’s issue:
- Share Your Story: What’s at Stake When Health Research Is Disrupted?
- HHS Secretary RFK Jr. Defends Deep Budget Cuts Amid Scrutiny from Lawmakers
- Federal Government Cuts All Harvard Research Funding
- Medicaid Cuts Advance in House Tax Bill
- OPM Taps Workday in Emergency HR Overhaul—Employees Urged to Download Their HR Files
- Study Links Loss of Drug Subsidies to Increased Mortality Among Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries
- New Resource for Job Seekers: Public Solutions Jobs
Share Your Story: What’s at Stake When Health Research Is Disrupted?
AcademyHealth is collecting stories from across the health services research community to document the real-world impact of federal policy and funding changes. What happens when research is delayed, defunded, or derailed? What’s lost—for patients, for communities, for progress? Help us show policymakers and the public what’s truly at stake when research is sidelined. Your story can inform advocacy, spark action, and protect progress. Share your story here.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. Defends Deep Budget Cuts Amid Scrutiny from Lawmakers
In contentious hearings before Congress this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended sweeping budget and staffing cuts at HHS. Kennedy confirmed that around 20,000 staff have left the agency and that further cuts—especially to biomedical research—are coming, acknowledging the impact will be "painful."
Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about the consequences and legal authority that Secretary Kennedy was operating under, with Democrats criticizing delays in payments to community programs and cuts to required services like the World Trade Center health program. Even Republican allies urged Kennedy to collaborate more with Congress. HHS's approach to vaccines also came under fire, with Kennedy offering mixed messages and facing correction on scientific facts during the hearings.
Health services researchers should stay alert: cuts to research funding and program staff could affect NIH grants, clinical trial infrastructure, and public health data systems. While Kennedy noted a few programs have been reinstated after initial missteps, his commitment to the administration’s agenda signals ongoing disruption—and uncertainty—for the research ecosystem.
Federal Government Cuts All Harvard Research Funding
On May 13, the federal Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced the termination of $450 million in research grants to Harvard University. The move affects funding from eight agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Energy, and Defense. It follows an earlier $2.2 billion cut from the National Institutes of Health and signals that Harvard will no longer be eligible for any federal research funding.
The Administration offered limited new evidence and largely repeated earlier claims that Harvard has failed to address discrimination on campus. The scale and coordination of the cuts are unprecedented in modern U.S. research policy. Harvard has amended its lawsuit against the federal government to reflect what it describes as a total funding cutoff.
Additionally, a new Justice Department investigation under the False Claims Act, a law typically used to prosecute fraud by government contractors. The inquiry targets Harvard’s admissions policies and demands wide-ranging internal documents and sworn testimony within 30 days.
These actions come on top of seven other federal investigations launched in recent weeks and follow Harvard’s decision to push back on government demands seen as politically motivated. While the stated rationale is enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, the sweeping nature of the terminations—and their focus on one institution—has raised alarm among researchers and civil rights observers about the political motivations behind the campaign.
Medicaid Cuts Advance in House Tax Bill
After a 26-hour session, House Republicans advanced a tax bill that includes sweeping Medicaid changes, slashing spending by hundreds of billions. The bill, passed along party lines in the Energy and Commerce Committee, could result in over 10 million people losing coverage, per preliminary CBO estimates. While moderates secured some concessions, GOP hard-liners are pushing for deeper cuts. The full House vote is expected next week.
OPM Taps Workday in Emergency HR Overhaul—Employees Urged to Download Their HR Files
In a quiet but significant move, OPM awarded a sole-source contract to Workday to modernize federal HR systems—including payroll, benefits, and performance management—amid mounting system failures and workforce changes. With digital-only retirement submissions starting June 2, federal employees are strongly encouraged to download and save their full HR file now to avoid potential disruptions or data loss during the transition.
Study Links Loss of Drug Subsidies to Increased Mortality Among Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries
A new study in The New England Journal of Medicine finds that losing the Medicare Low-Income Subsidy (LIS)—which helps 14 million low-income beneficiaries afford prescription drugs—is associated with higher mortality. Researchers leveraged a natural experiment using Medicare data from 2015–2023 and found that beneficiaries who lost LIS coverage sooner after Medicaid disenrollment were more likely to die within 17 months. Mortality rates were particularly higher among those with chronic conditions or high prescription drug use.
The authors concluded that losing access to subsidized medications can be deadly. Ensuring continuous drug coverage for low-income Medicare beneficiaries could save lives.
New Resource for Job Seekers: Public Solutions Jobs
A new website, Public Solutions Jobs, is now available as a centralized job board for roles at the intersection of research, policy, and public impact. It features listings from a range of university-based research centers and policy labs focused on evidence-based solutions to pressing social issues.
Sponsored by leading institutions—including the Tobin Center at Yale, Stanford Impact Labs, Harvard’s Government Performance Lab, J-PAL North America, and others—the site aims to connect top talent with mission-driven roles that drive public innovation.
This is ideal for job seekers interested in data-driven policymaking, public service innovation, and applied research. Organizations with relevant openings can also post jobs through the site.
Previous Updates
This is the latest in a series of Situation Report updates from AcademyHealth. You can find prior issues here.
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