Department of Health and Human ServicesGovernment

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive department of the United States federal government dedicated to enhancing and protecting the health and well-being of all Americans. Its vast mandate encompasses administering essential public health, medical insurance, and human service programs, overseeing major federal agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Originally established in 1953 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), the department was officially renamed and reorganized as Health and Human Services in 1979 when its education functions were transferred to the newly created Department of Education.