The U. S. Cuts $600 Million From Four State Health Budgets

A new policy by the federal government will remove about $600 million from the health budgets of California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota. The money had been given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help state health departments and nonprofits. The administration says the grants no longer match its current priorities, so it will start eliminating them this week and continue over the next few weeks. The cuts affect a wide range of programs: hiring staff, updating data systems, responding to outbreaks and running community‑specific services. Nearly 20 grants were aimed at HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and two‑thirds of the money pulled from California was unspent. Experts worry that removing funds during ongoing health threats could leave communities less prepared. A former CDC chief medical officer said the decision is troubling, especially as measles outbreaks and other risks persist.Nonprofits will feel the impact too. For example, Illinois will lose $7. 2 million that supported gender‑transition care for children, while a Chicago hospital will lose $5. 2 million for HIV prevention among Black women. Other losses include $876, 000 to a UCSF project that helps older LGBTQ adults avoid social isolation and $371, 000 from a Colorado network that reaches Latino and African‑American men who have sex with men. The CDC has recently shifted its focus away from programs that target specific populations, claiming they have not improved health outcomes for minorities. This change has sparked debate about whether the new priorities truly serve public interest. The federal health agency also paused $5 billion in infrastructure grants last month to review alignment with its goals, but the pause was lifted within a day. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is monitoring how these cuts affect low‑income Americans.