“What we learned from Budget Day™: President Biden wants nearly $82 billion over five years to help key federal agencies prep for pandemics and other biological threats. His administration is also leaning in on bipartisan measures, such as boosting coverage for mental health and more cash for a new agency to tackle some of the nation’s biggest biomedical challenges.”
“In one sense, the president’s budget isn’t a particularly useful document. Congress holds the power of the purse, and often ignores broad swaths of the president’s requests.”
“But on the other hand, the budget is a statement of the administration’s priorities. And it’s worth looking closely at the policies the White House deems most critical — and what it may lobby lawmakers for on Capitol Hill.”
“’It’s important in that respect, even if the document itself goes nowhere on the Hill,’ said Larry Levitt, an executive vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation.”
“Of note: The Build Back Better agenda isn’t accounted for in the budget. The sweeping policies — such as allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices or making permanent new Obamacare financial aid — weren’t included in the overall budget calculations, but are still touted in the budget document, our colleague Jeff Stein notes. That’s because of the uncertain status of negotiations, administration officials contend, pointing to a deficit neutral reserve fund to account for any such deal.”
“What’s in
Preparing for the next pandemic: The $81.7 billion would go toward long-term pandemic preparedness — and is separate from the stalemate on Capitol Hill over billions in new coronavirus aid.
- The president’s budget includes $28 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand laboratory capacity, boost the public health workforce and strengthen data systems. There’s $40 billion for HHS’s preparedness office to invest in manufacturing vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
- The National Institutes of Health would get $12.1 billion for researching vaccines and other efforts, and $1.6 billion would go toward the Food and Drug Administration for modernizing information technology and labs…” Read the full article here.
Source: The White House budget focuses on some bipartisan health goals – By Rachel Roubein with research by McKenzie Beard, March 29, 2022. The Washington Post.
