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Trump's HHS Discontinues Unit That Determines Poverty Thresholds Impacting Benefits for Around 80 Million Individuals

Trump's dismissals within the Department of Health and Human Services encompassed the entire team responsible for establishing federal poverty benchmarks. These benchmarks decide whether a significant number of American residents—tens of millions—qualify for healthcare programs like Medicaid,...

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Firing spree at US Department of Health and Health Services touches the office responsible for...
Firing spree at US Department of Health and Health Services touches the office responsible for establishing federal poverty benchmarks.

Trump's HHS Discontinues Unit That Determines Poverty Thresholds Impacting Benefits for Around 80 Million Individuals

Loosin' the Lifelines?

Under President Donald Trump's administration, a small yet crucial team at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - responsible for setting federal poverty guidelines - was given the axe, according to former employees [1][2]. Known as the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), this team's dismissal echoed the fate of others across HHS, happening unannounced, leaving officials guessing the reasons behind these mysterious firings [2].

Why these analysts, with their expertise in data and statistics? A social scientist formerly employed at HHS suspects the 'carbon- copy' approach, RIF'ing offices with just the right combination of words: "data" or "statistics" [2].

At the heart of the dismissed group was Kendall Swenson, long-time lead developer of the poverty guidelines, who served as the 'walking encyclopedia' on the subject [3]. His departure comes at a precarious time, as these guidelines determine eligibility for programs like Medicaid, food assistance, childcare services, and more - potentially impacting over 80 million Americans [1].

Robin Ghertner, the fired director of the Division of Data and Technical Analysis, admits that the loss of these experts could cause cutbacks in assistance to low-income families next year, unless the Trump administration takes action [3]. Harvard professor Timothy Smeeding adds, "Swenson would be a no-brainer" to rehire, as his expertise is crucial to the many individuals and programs that rely on the poverty guidelines [3].

But how are these guidelines calculated? Under a 1981 appropriations bill, HHS is tasked with adjusting the annual Census Bureau poverty-line figures for inflation and creating guidelines that agencies and states follow to determine eligibility [4]. The process includes a 'special sauce': adjustments and calculations that Swenson and his team independently worked out, before quality-checking and issuing each January [3].

As Ghertner and his team were given their walking papers without prior notice, they were locked out of their computers, leaving no chance to train replacements or transfer vital data [3]. The ASPE team, which once boasted around 140 members, now consists of about 40, shrinking alongside the merger with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) [5].

Critics, including Wendell Primus - an ASPE alumnus from the Bill Clinton administration - question the reasoning behind these staff reductions. Primus believes these decisions are emanating from the White House, with no evident rhyme or reason [5].

If the Trump administration fails to refill these crucial roles or transfer these duties to another competent entity, the consequences could prove devastating. Sticking with the 2025 poverty standard next year could endanger benefits for millions of Americans, as the current levels stand at $15,650 for an individual and $32,150 for a family of four [3].

KFF Health News is a nationwide newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism focused on health issues, part of KFF, an independent health policy research organization [6].

*Enrichment Data:

  • The firings at HHS appeared to target offices dealing with data analysis, leading to concerns about the administration's overall intent and the potential impact on safety-net programs. The displacement of experienced professionals, including Kendall Swenson, could jeopardize the calculation of federal poverty guidelines. Critics warn that the consequences of inadequate staffing in the ASPE office may lead to closing doors for millions of Americans eligible for programs like Medicaid, food assistance, and childcare.* The administration's refusal to clarify the reasons behind the staff reductions fuels skepticism about their true motives.
  1. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) set federal poverty guidelines, a task critical for programs like Medicaid, food assistance, and childcare.
  2. Under President Trump's administration, a team at HHS responsible for these guidelines was dismissed, leaving officials guessing the reasons behind these mysterious firings.
  3. Known as the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), this team's dismissal happened unannounced, echoing the fate of others across HHS.
  4. A former HHS social scientist suspects the 'carbon-copy' approach led to these firings, focusing on 'data' or 'statistics'.
  5. At the heart of the dismissed group was Kendall Swenson, a long-time lead developer of the poverty guidelines.
  6. Swenson served as the 'walking encyclopedia' on the subject and his departure comes at a precarious time.
  7. These guidelines determine eligibility for programs like Medicaid, food assistance, childcare services, potentially impacting over 80 million Americans.
  8. Robin Ghertner, the fired director of the Division of Data and Technical Analysis, admits that the loss of these experts could cause cutbacks in assistance to low-income families next year.
  9. Harvard professor Timothy Smeeding adds that Swenson's expertise is crucial to the many individuals and programs that rely on the poverty guidelines.
  10. The process of calculating these guidelines involves adjustments and calculations independent of the Census Bureau figures.
  11. The Trump administration's failure to refill these crucial roles could endanger benefits for millions of Americans.
  12. Sticking with the 2025 poverty standard next year could potentially impact these benefits, as the current levels stand at $15,650 for an individual and $32,150 for a family of four.
  13. The ASPE team, once boasting around 140 members, now consists of about 40, shrinking alongside the merger with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
  14. Critics, including Wendell Primus - an ASPE alumnus from the Bill Clinton administration, question the reasoning behind these staff reductions.
  15. Primus believes these decisions are emanating from the White House, with no evident rhyme or reason.
  16. If these roles aren't refilled or duties transferred to another competent entity, the consequences could prove devastating.
  17. The firings at HHS appeared to target offices dealing with data analysis, leading to concerns about the administration's overall intent and the potential impact on safety-net programs.
  18. The displacement of experienced professionals, including Kendall Swenson, could jeopardize the calculation of federal poverty guidelines.
  19. Critics warn that the consequences of inadequate staffing in the ASPE office may lead to closing doors for millions of Americans eligible for programs like Medicaid, food assistance, and childcare.
  20. The administration's refusal to clarify the reasons behind the staff reductions fuels skepticism about their true motives.
  21. KFF Health News is a nationwide newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism focused on health issues, part of KFF, an independent health policy research organization.
  22. The ASPE team was responsible for setting federal poverty guidelines, a task crucial for eligibility in numerous programs.
  23. The dismissal of this team echoed the fate of others across HHS, happening unannounced and leaving officials guessing the reasons behind these mysterious firings.
  24. Kendall Swenson, the lead developer of these guidelines, was a key member of the dismissed group.
  25. Robin Ghertner, the former director of the Division of Data and Technical Analysis, warns that the loss of these experts could cause cutbacks in assistance to low-income families next year.
  26. Harvard professor Timothy Smeeding believes Swenson's expertise is crucial to the many individuals and programs that rely on the poverty guidelines.
  27. The North American Football League (NFL), Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAABasketball), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Football), and American Football are popular sports in the United States.
  28. The calculation of these federal poverty guidelines involves inflation-adjusted figures from the Census Bureau, as well as independent adjustments and calculations by the ASPE team.
  29. The administration's refusal to explain the reasons behind the staff reductions fuels suspicion about their true motives.
  30. The consequences of inadequate staffing in the ASPE office, including the potential displacement of Kendall Swenson, may lead to closing doors for millions of Americans eligible for programs like Medicaid, food assistance, and childcare.
  31. As the 2025 poverty line figures stand at $15,650 for an individual and $32,150 for a family of four, sticking with these standards next year could endanger benefits for millions of Americans.

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