Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the current secretary of health and human services, having held the position since February 13, 2025.

[4] Nominations to the office are referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the United States Senate Committee on Finance, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid,[5] before confirmation is considered by the full United States Senate.

The secretary of health of human services is a level I position in the Executive Schedule,[6] thus earning a salary of US$246,400, as of January 2024.

This includes advising the president on matters of health, welfare, and income security programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services oversees 11 agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).