 Health Care |
Health Care |
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Biden's budget directs billions to health programs |
The president's budget released Thursday includes numerous lines dedicated to bolstering health care measures first included in the Inflation Reduction Act, but it notably left out funding for several key areas. | President Biden's budget builds on measures included in the Inflation Reduction Act, including calling for the $35 insulin cap for Medicare to be expanded to the entire commercial market as well as making the expanded subsidies for the Affordable Care Act permanent.
More than $10 billion was set aside for Biden's Cancer Moonshot initiative and investments were also proposed to improve the U.S.'s behavioral health system.
While the proposal included the tax code reforms aimed at shoring up Medicare that Biden announced earlier this week, the plan did not include similar measures to prevent Social Security from becoming insolvent. The budget hinted at another possible tax hike, stating the administration "looks forward to working with the Congress to responsibly strengthen Social Security by ensuring that high-income individuals pay their fair share." Discussion over securing Medicare and Social Security has recently gained traction at the Capitol, but a tax hike will be a nonstarter for the GOP-controlled House, with Republicans already declaring the proposed Medicare tax increase will never be realized in the divided government. Biden's proposal also notably left out any plans for new COVID-19 funding, with some measures instead directed at addressing the impacts of the pandemic on areas such as the disrupted supply chain, unemployment insurance and mental health. The budget called for $20 billion in mandatory funding to the Department of Health and Human Services for "pandemic prevention and preparedness." The White House had said last year that the U.S. would move toward privatizing COVID-19 treatments and vaccines in 2023. The national COVID-19 public health emergency is scheduled to end May 11 and the budget appears to be another indication that the federal government is ready to move past the pandemic era. |
Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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President Biden’s budget proposal focuses heavily on expanding access to health care and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. In an effort to extend the life of Medicare’s hospital trust fund, the budget proposal would increase the number of drugs that can be negotiated, and allow those negotiations to begin sooner. The plan builds off the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which granted Medicare the power to negotiate … |
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| Three different coronavirus variants were discovered in New York City's rat population, according to a new study. A release from EurekAlert on Thursday states that rats were found to be infected with the alpha, delta and omicron COVID-19 variants. Henry Wan, the principal investigator for the study and the director of the Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Missouri, said in the statement … |
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday introduced a bill that would cap the list price of insulin at $20 per vial, building off Eli Lilly's recently announced $35 monthly insulin cap. |
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Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: |
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will answer questions about Biden's budget at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing Friday at 9 a.m.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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Neoral is an immunosuppressant commonly used to prevent organ rejection after a transplant. Earlier this year some users of the drug reported difficulty in obtaining the medication. The drug's manufacturer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, told Nexstar's WPRI there is no longer a shortage of Neoral.
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- Transgender health care is now protected in Minnesota (ABC News)
- Hawaii Health Department warns of breach to death registry (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
- Abortion, gender-affirming care protections sought in Colorado legislation (Pluribus News)
- Philly's medical malpractice cases are surging since a new state rule went into effect (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Medicaid Health Plans Try to Protect Members — And Profits — During Unwinding (Kaiser Health News)
- Cancer can go undetected in dense breasts. A new FDA rule requires providers to inform patients of their risk. (The 19th News)
- Officials probe DC Health Link breach that exposed Hill staff data (Roll Call)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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Manhattan prosecutors have offered former President Trump the chance to testify before a grand jury, a sign the former president could soon face criminal … Read more |
| Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, is leading an investigation of the dissolved Jan. 6 … Read more |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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