House passes budget deal that boosts healthcare programs, extends CHIP

The House voted 240-186 early Friday morning to support a bipartisan budget deal following a five-hour government shutdown, according to The Washington Post.

The House passed the budget deal at 5:30 a.m. EST, about four hours after the Senate cleared the legislation. The bill, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign Friday, includes several healthcare measures.

The budget deal extends the Children's Health Insurance Program for an additional four years, funds community health centers for two years, delays cuts to Disproportionate Share Hospitals mandated by the ACA, repeals the ACA's Independent Payment Advisory Board, allocates $6 billion to address the nation's opioid crisis and other mental health issues, and provides $2 billion in additional funding for the National Institutes of Health.

On Friday morning, the American Hospital Association applauded the bipartisan budget deal.

"Today's continuing resolution includes many important provisions that benefit the patients and communities America's hospitals and health systems are privileged to serve each day," AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to advance health in America for patients and communities."

Although the bill includes budget numbers for the next two fiscal years, lawmakers face a March 23 deadline to approve detailed appropriations for government agencies, according to The Washington Post.

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