HHS is reportedly one of the federal government's costliest agencies, with an annual budget of $1.7 trillion. Most of the budget is spent on health care coverage for the millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.

Nearly 80,000 employees at the Department of Health and Human Services have about a week to decide whether to accept a $25,000 buyout and resign from their jobs.

Workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food, and administering Medicare and Medicaid were emailed an offer.