On March 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the closure of six of its ten regional offices for the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), a move expected to impact healthcare providers and suppliers.
HHS revealed plans to shut down OGC offices in Boston, New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, and Seattle, as part of a restructuring of legal operations supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and other federal healthcare programs. This change may reduce the OGC staff by over 100 attorneys. These offices have provided legal counsel for CMS and regional healthcare operations, managing compliance, enforcement, and administrative functions. The closures will leave only four regional OGC offices operational, potentially affecting the daily administration of Medicare and other federal healthcare programs.
OGC regional offices have always played a role in providing legal oversight for CMS operations at the regional level. The restructuring decision is part of HHS's broader strategy to streamline legal operations. The closure of these offices follows a trend of consolidating resources within federal agencies, which has been debated in the context of efficiency and service delivery in the healthcare system.
HHS has not yet provided a timeline for the closures or details on how workloads will be redistributed across the remaining OGC offices. A spokesperson from HHS said, “We are restructuring our legal support systems to better serve the needs of our healthcare programs while ensuring efficiency and consistency.”
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and support to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and other HHS entities. The restructuring could lead to a shift in how legal matters are handled at the regional level, with potential delays in compliance actions and provider enrollment reviews.
The closure of these OGC offices could result in delays and inefficiencies in the administration of federal healthcare programs, potentially impacting hospitals, health systems, and healthcare providers. With a large portion of Medicare beneficiaries in the affected states, the shift in legal support could also influence the timeliness of approvals and regulatory actions for providers and suppliers.
Healthcare providers and suppliers may experience delays and disruptions as the OGC undergoes restructuring. It’s important for impacted organizations to prepare for potential challenges in compliance, provider enrollment, and legal matters. Staying informed and proactive will help mitigate the impact of these changes.
HHS is restructuring its legal operations to streamline services and improve efficiency within its healthcare programs.
Cases will be redirected to the Washington, D.C. office or distributed nationally, potentially causing delays in their resolution.
The remaining offices will absorb the workload, but it may cause administrative bottlenecks and delays.
While focused on CMS operations, the changes may have broader implications for other federal healthcare programs administered by HHS.
Providers should stay informed about the changes and take proactive steps to address potential delays in compliance and legal matters.