Trump administration cuts health policy researchers

The Trump administration has gutted two small federal companies crammed with researchers who examine how the well being care system capabilities and how one can enhance it.

Greater than half of workers on the Workplace of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Analysis and the Company for Healthcare Analysis and High quality — each a part of the Division of Well being and Human Companies — have been laid off, based on a number of present and former workers. The 2 companies function on lower than $600 million mixed, or about 0.04% of what the federal authorities spends on well being care.

ASPE had roughly 150 workers in the beginning of the 12 months and now has fewer than 50, 4 former workers advised STAT. AHRQ began the 12 months with over 300 workers, and Tuesday’s cuts took out 111 of them, three laid-off employees advised STAT. Former and present employees at each companies stated the layoffs will severely impair what they do, with one present worker calling the cuts “devastating.”