The House Appropriations Committee's draft of the fiscal year 2016 Labor, Health and Human Services funding bill, published June 16, includes a total of $153 billion in discretionary funding, which is a reduction of $3.7 billion below fiscal year 2015 and $14.6 billion below the president's budget request.
The legislation contains provisions to curb the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as provisions related to the continuation of all longstanding abortion funding restrictions, according to a summary included with the Committee's report. The bill includes $71.3 billion for HHS, which is an increase of $298 million from the prior fiscal year and $3.9 billion below the president's request.
Absent from the bill is funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, which, if approved, will signal its elimination.
Here are seven things to know about how the HHS funding in the draft budget breaks down.
• The recommendation provides $3.3 billion for CMS management and operations, which is $344 million below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $919 million below the budget request.
• The bill does not include additional funding for CMS to implement PPACA programs and prohibits funds for the new "Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight" and "Navigators" programs.
• The legislation includes a total of $7 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, $140 million more than fiscal year 2015. This includes $6.1 in appropriated funds, as well as $914.3 million in transfers from the Prevention and Public Health Fund.
• The bill provides a total $31.2 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $1.1 billion more than fiscal year 2015 and $100 million more than the president's budget request.
• The bill funds the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration at $3.6 billion, $23 million above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $21 million below the president's budget request.
• The bill provides $17.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Administration for Children and Families, which is $50 million more than fiscal year 2015 and $1.9 billion below the president's budget.
• The bill funds the Administration for Community Living at $1.9 billion, which is $261 million about fiscal year 2015 and $161 million below the president's budget request.
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