CATO Institute: Downsize Dept. of Health & Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services runs the huge and fast-growing Medicare and Medicaid. These programs fuel rising health costs, distort markets, and are plagued by waste and fraud. The department also runs other costly subsidy programs, including Head Start, TANF, and LIHEAP. Growth in HHS spending is creating a federal fiscal crisis, and the 2010 health care law sadly makes the situation worse. The department spent around $908 billion in 2013, or about $7,500 for every U.S. household. It employs 70,000 workers.