The “Department of Government Efficiency,” a program initiated by Donald Trump and spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, has gained or sought access to sensitive systems across various health agencies. This move comes as the US president aims to confer extensive powers to the committee within the federal government.
This pursuit for access is part of an extraordinary attempt to curtail government spending, even in the face of multiple court rulings ordering the unfreezing of funds and reinstating suspended staff.
On Friday, thousands were laid off from health agencies following the Trump administration’s announcement to terminate nearly all probationary employees, which could amount to hundreds of thousands across the federal workforce.
“The potential for causing harm is significant,” stated Scott Cory, former chief information officer for an agency under the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Health agencies manage tightly controlled databases containing sensitive information, and turmoil within these agencies poses risks to the US healthcare system as the threat of infectious diseases like bird flu escalates.
“The likelihood of new outbreaks or public health events is high given the concerning spread of bird flu, which is still hindered by a sluggish response,” remarked an anonymous employee at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who was not authorized to speak publicly.
“With external communications severed, extensive work-stop orders, and substantial alterations in the federal workforce, the capabilities of any health agency are drastically hampered and will ultimately benefit only those seeking to profit from the suffering,” the employee added.
Trump’s recent executive order granted Doge the authority to reduce the federal workforce, disregarding ongoing lawsuits from labor unions concerning Doge’s access.
Reports indicate that approximately 5,200 individuals across health agencies received layoff notices on Friday.
Among them, around 1,250 were stationed at the CDC, as divulged by a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
This group included senior officials and the entire first-year cohort of CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Services officers, often referred to as “disease detectives.”
Additional senior health officials are reportedly also targeted for layoffs, while employees brace for further mass layoffs in the upcoming days, according to multiple sources. Several contractors have also reported layoffs this week.
Probationary employees comprise any staff who haven’t completed the necessary tenure (typically one to two years) to secure civil service protection in their roles—and this also includes senior officials who have recently transitioned into new positions.
Personnel at some health agencies, including HHS and CDC, have reportedly been instructed to refrain from discussing Doge in internal emails and messages to avoid attracting attention through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests or inquiries from those with access to these systems.
“In my entire time in the federal government, I’ve never witnessed anything like this,” stated the CDC employee. “It’s total chaos.”
Sources indicate that representatives of Doge accessed the CDC’s Atlanta offices last week.
Additionally, Doge-affiliated officials have reportedly accessed payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as covered by the Wall Street Journal.
Musk, who serves as the unpaid “special government employee” leading Doge, seemed to confirm the CMS access and the investigation into potential fraud in Medicare payment systems: “Yes, this is where significant money fraud occurs,” he tweeted on February 5.
Medicare fraud has long been a subject of meticulous scrutiny, with 193 medical professionals arrested during the Biden administration in June for alleged involvement in $2.75 billion in suspected healthcare fraud.
However, halting payments that are already sanctioned by Congress, as the Trump administration has done with foreign aid and various federal grants and loans, marks an unprecedented action.
Doge representatives have also sought entry to the HHS payment systems that handle billions in healthcare funding and appear to have gained access to at least some of those systems, according to the Washington Post.
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The HHS did not respond to the Guardian’s media inquiry by the time of publication.
One of the sought systems, the Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System, holds financial information pertaining to all hospitals, doctors, and health organizations involved in federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.
Accessing this system necessitates training on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); it remains uncertain whether Doge representatives have completed such training.
Reports also indicate that Doge officials have gained extensive access at the Treasury Department.
Musk’s “ambiguous role” in a committee lacking Congressional approval “signals clearly that the legal framework guiding federal operations is no longer applicable,” the CDC employee remarked.
“Musk’s aggressive acquisition of numerous sensitive data systems, including those in CMS and Treasury, should raise alarm bells for everyone,” the employee continued. “Possessing such comprehensive data access not only poses security risks but also raises the likelihood of misuse.”
Equipped with these systems and data, the Trump administration could dismantle healthcare support for Americans and penalize states or entities that refuse to adhere to the administration’s directives, the employee explained.
Interference with the systems health agencies depend on to process payments could jeopardize the lives of those reliant on the funding, according to Cory.
Concerns regarding privacy issues also persist.
“There’s a considerable amount” of sensitive data traversing these systems into individuals’ bank accounts, including personally identifiable information concerning those receiving government benefits, such as Social Security, Cory noted.
Although the information is typically not stored within payment systems, “it is possible to trace back to the system that retains this information,” Cory explained. “And that’s where it becomes alarming.”
No individual should have comprehensive access to such systems, Cory emphasized. Even minor modifications can have significant ramifications and require thorough testing before implementation.
Nonetheless, the legal consequences for unauthorized access and actions within federal systems are limited, he indicated.
“The safeguards against wrongdoing by individuals within these systems are relatively weak,” Cory stated.
The data amassed by various agencies plays a vital role in maintaining the safety of Americans, particularly amid current outbreaks like bird flu, Cory said: “If reporting and disseminating that data becomes unfeasible, we all face increased risks.”
