“The Biden administration this past Friday released a letter outlining President Joe Biden’s request for fiscal year 2022 discretionary funding in advance of Congress’s annual appropriations and budget process.”
“The letter, addressed to Appropriations Committee Chair Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, along with several other top federal lawmakers, includes a range of proposals that reflect Biden’s broader agenda.”
“‘The consequences of this broad disinvestment are plain to see. We know that anticipating, preparing for, and fighting a global pandemic requires a robust public health infrastructure. Yet, going into the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was 10 percent lower than a decade ago, adjusted for inflation,’ wrote Shalanda D. Young, acting director of the Office of Budget and Management.”
“‘The President believes now is the time to begin reversing this trend – and the expiration of nearly a decade of budget caps presents a unique opportunity to do so,’ Young added.”
WHY IT MATTERS
“The request includes several items aimed at improving the nation’s digital health response, including $8.7 billion to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
“That additional funding would go toward modernizing public health data collection nationwide, in addition to supporting core public health capacity improvements in states and territories, training new epidemiologists and other public health experts, and building international capacity to detect, prepare for and respond to emerging global threats, according to the letter.”
“In addition, $153 million would go toward CDC’s Social Determinants of Health Program to support states and territories in improving health equity and data collection for vulnerable populations.”
“The request also includes a $6.5 billion investment to launch the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, aimed at driving transformational innovation in health research and speeding implementation of health breakthroughs…” Read the full article here.
Source: Biden outlines health IT funding priorities — By Kat Jercich, April 13, 2021. Healthcare IT News.
