The House Appropriations Committee this morning released their draft FY 2013 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow morning (Wednesday). As expected, the draft bill includes $150 billion in discretionary funding, which is $6.3 billion below last year’s level and $8.8 billion below the President’s budget request.
Health and Human Services: The Department of Health and Human Services receives a total of $68.3 billion, a reduction of $1.3 billion below last year’s level and $1.8 billion below the President’s budget request. Hightlights include:
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – The bill provides HRSA with $5.9 billion in new discretionary budget authority, which is $453 million below last year’s level and $315 million below the President’s budget request.
- Community Health Centers are funded at $1.5 billion – the same as last year’s level. This includes a rescission of $300 million in previous-year funding that was provided under the Affordable Care Act for this program.
- The bill also provides $623 million in total funding for health professions training, including $275 million for the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education program. The President requested only $88 million for this essential program. In addition, the bill includes $139 million for rural health programs, an increase of $1.4 million above last year, and eliminates funding for the Family Planning Program.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – The legislation includes an appropriation level of $5.75 billion for the CDC – $66 million above the FY 2012 level. Further, the bill allows for an additional $126.5 million for the CDC by reducing the ability of HHS to divert funds away from CDC programs.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) – The bill includes $30.6 billion for the NIH, which is the same as last year’s level and the President’s request.
- Within this funding, the legislation includes $175 million for the National Children’s Study, $488 million for Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards, and $376 million for Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) programs.
- This funding will support 16,670 training research awards – the pipeline of support for future researchers. The legislation also includes language to ensure the NIH support only research projects that are highly meritorious, based on peer review processes, and that continue the agency’s historical unbiased position toward specific diseases.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) – The bill funds SAMHSA at $3.1 billion, which is $194 million below last year’s level and $1.2 million above the President’s budget request. Within this funding, criminal justice activities, such as drug courts, receive an increase of $5 million over last year for a total of $72.3 million, and the Substance Abuse Block Grant for states and localities receives $1.73 billion, an increase of $10 million.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – The recommendation provides $3.5 billion for CMS management and operations (“Program Management”), which is $409 million below the FY 2012 enacted level and $1.4 billion below the President’s request. The bill does not include additional funding to implement Affordable Care Act programs and prohibits funds for the new Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight.
The Office of Federal Relations will post more as we continue to read through the draft legislation.
Read the subcommittee draft text of the FY 2013 LHHS Appropriations bill.
Read the House Appropriations Committee press release.