Spending bill clears House: 4 healthcare takeaways

Alia Paavola -

The House approved legislation Sept. 21 that aims to keep the government funded through early December and raise the debt ceiling.

The $3.5 trillion spending bill passed in a 220-211 vote along party lines. It now heads to the Senate for a vote, where many Republican senators have threatened to block it, according to Bloomberg.

Four healthcare takeaways:

1. The spending bill would allocate $3 billion to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. This agency would be an incubator for biomedical discoveries. 

2. The spending bill would also give the HHS Indian Health Service more than $22 million for staffing and operating facilities that were opened, renovated or expanded in fiscal years 2021 or 2022.

3. The spending bill would give the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services administration $77.6 million to carry out its duties and maintain the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program. 

4. The spending bill would allocate $21.5 billion for medical support, screening and other public health activities related to refugees from Afghanistan.

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