The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on health matters. The secretary is a member of the United States Cabinet. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the incumbent secretary of health and human services, having held the position since February 13, 2025.
The office was formerly known as the secretary of health, education, and welfare. In 1980, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was renamed to Department of Health and Human Services, and its education functions and Rehabilitation Services Administration were transferred to the new United States Department of Education. Patricia Roberts Harris headed the department before and after it was renamed.
Nominations to the office are referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the United States Senate Committee on Finance, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid, before confirmation is considered by the full United States Senate. The secretary of health and human services is a level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$250,600, as of January 2025.
Duties
The duties of the secretary revolve around human conditions and concerns in the United States. This includes advising the president on matters of health, welfare, and income security programs. The secretary strives to administer the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out approved programs and make the public aware of the objectives of the department.
The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) was reorganized into a Department of Education and a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The Department of Health and Human Services oversees 11 agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
List of secretaries Parties (9) (15) (2)
Status
Health, Education, and Welfare No.PortraitNameState of residenceTook officeLeft officePresident(s)TexasApril 11, 1953July 31, 1955(1953–1961)New YorkAugust 2, 1955July 31, 1958OhioAugust 1, 1958January 19, 1961ConnecticutJanuary 21, 1961July 13, 1962(1961–1963)OhioJuly 31, 1962August 17, 1965(1963–1969)CaliforniaAugust 18, 1965March 1, 1968MichiganMay 16, 1968January 20, 1969CaliforniaJanuary 21, 1969June 23, 1970(1969–1974)MassachusettsJune 24, 1970January 29, 1973CaliforniaFebruary 12, 1973August 8, 1975(1974–1977)AlabamaAugust 8, 1975January 20, 1977District of ColumbiaJanuary 25, 1977August 3, 1979(1977–1981)District of ColumbiaAugust 3, 1979May 4, 1980Harris was Secretary on May 4, 1980, when the office changed names from Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to Secretary of Health and Human Services. Because the department merely changed names, she did not need to be confirmed again, and her term continued uninterrupted.
Health and Human Services No.PortraitNameState of residenceTook officeLeft officePresident(s)District of ColumbiaMay 4, 1980January 20, 1981(1977–1981)PennsylvaniaJanuary 22, 1981February 3, 1983(1981–1989)MassachusettsMarch 10, 1983December 13, 1985IndianaDecember 13, 1985March 1, 1989GeorgiaMarch 1, 1989January 20, 1993(1989–1993)WisconsinJanuary 22, 1993January 20, 2001(1993–2001)WisconsinFebruary 2, 2001January 26, 2005(2001–2009)UtahJanuary 26, 2005January 20, 2009UtahJanuary 20, 2009April 28, 2009(2009–2017)KansasApril 28, 2009June 9, 2014West VirginiaJune 9, 2014January 20, 2017FloridaJanuary 20, 2017February 10, 2017(2017–2021)GeorgiaFebruary 10, 2017September 29, 2017VirginiaSeptember 29, 2017October 10, 2017IllinoisOctober 10, 2017January 29, 2018IndianaJanuary 29, 2018January 20, 2021FloridaJanuary 20, 2021March 19, 2021(2021–2025)CaliforniaMarch 19, 2021January 20, 2025PennsylvaniaJanuary 20, 2025February 13, 2025 (2025–present)CaliforniaFebruary 13, 2025Incumbent
Line of succession The line of succession for the secretary of health and human services is as follows: Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Administration Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Commissioner of Food and Drugs Director of the National Institutes of Health Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Other assistant secretaries (following in the order they took the oath of office) Assistant Secretary for Health Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Assistant Secretary for Legislation Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources Assistant Secretary for Aging Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Region 4 (Atlanta, Georgia)
References
External links
Department Of Health And Human Services Meeting Notices and Rule Changes from The Federal Register RSS Feed