United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services is the second-highest ranking official in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, the deputy secretary assumes the duties of the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services in their absence and oversees the department's day-to-day operations. The position is a critical component of the federal government's leadership in public health, social services, and biomedical research, managing a vast portfolio that includes agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

History and creation

The office was formally established on May 4, 1977, by Public Law 95-35, which amended the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Act. This legislative action reorganized the leadership structure of the department, which was subsequently renamed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services following the creation of a separate United States Department of Education in 1979. The creation of the deputy secretary role was part of a broader effort to streamline the management of the federal government's extensive health and welfare programs, which had grown significantly since the New Deal and the Great Society eras. The first individual to hold the title was Hale Champion, who served under Secretary Joseph A. Califano Jr..

Appointment and succession

The deputy secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by a majority vote in the United States Senate, following hearings typically held by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The position does not have a fixed term, serving at the pleasure of the president. By law, the deputy secretary is in the United States presidential line of succession, specifically the seventeenth position, following the United States Secretary of Homeland Security and preceding the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. In the event the secretary's office becomes vacant, the deputy secretary may serve as Acting Secretary until a new nominee is confirmed, as occurred when Eric Hargan assumed the role following the resignation of Tom Price.

Duties and responsibilities

The deputy secretary acts as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with broad authority to coordinate the department's twelve operating divisions and ten regional offices. Key responsibilities include implementing policies set by the White House and the secretary, managing the department's annual budget exceeding $1.5 trillion, and overseeing critical public health initiatives. The deputy secretary frequently represents the department before congressional committees, including the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. They also chair internal councils like the HHS Council and play a pivotal role in coordinating responses to national emergencies with agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the World Health Organization.

List of deputy secretaries

Since the office's inception, individuals from diverse professional backgrounds have served as deputy secretary. The inaugural deputy secretary, Hale Champion, was a former Harvard University administrator. Subsequent holders have included Kenneth S. Apfel, a former commissioner of the Social Security Administration; Alex Azar, who later served as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services; and Eric Hargan, who had previously served as HHS deputy general counsel. The current deputy secretary, Andrea Palm, was confirmed in 2023 after serving as senior counselor to Secretary Xavier Becerra and previously holding roles in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Obama Administration.

Office of the Deputy Secretary

The Office of the Deputy Secretary (ODS) provides direct staff support and is organized into several key components that facilitate the deputy's management role. These include the Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources. The ODS coordinates cross-departmental initiatives on issues like Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance, Medicare reform, and the Affordable Care Act. It also houses the HHS Secretary's Operations Center, which is activated during public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or Hurricane Katrina. The office is physically located in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C..

Category:United States Deputy Secretaries of Health and Human Services Category:United States Department of Health and Human Services