“HHS is at the center of many challenges facing our country today— the COVID-19 pandemic, mental and other behavioral health challenges, the opioid addiction crisis, racial inequality and more. The President’s FY 2022 budget invests in building a healthier America by giving us the resources we need to protect and invest in the wellbeing of families nationwide today and the years to come. With these new investments, we are on better footing to take on the next public health crisis, partner with states and support families right now who have struggled as a result of the pandemic. The increased investment supports families in areas such as behavioral health (mental health and substance use), maternal health, emerging health threats, science, data and research, tribal health, early child care and learning, and child welfare. To build back a prosperous America, we need a healthy America, and President Biden’s budget builds on that vision while investing in the many programs housed at HHS to save lives.”
Program Examples —
Preparing and Responding to Public Health Crises
“The Strategic National Stockpile, within the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, has served a critical role in the COVID-19 response, deploying personal protective equipment, ventilators, and medical supplies to states, cities, and territories across the country. The budget provides $905 million for the stockpile, $200 million above FY 2021, to ensure the stockpile is ready to respond to future pandemic events and any other public health threats, including maintaining a robust inventory of critical medical supplies and modernizing the stockpile’s distribution model.”
“The budget also supports a strong public health workforce, and addresses gaps in the existing public health infrastructure, including at the state and local levels. In addition to discretionary investments, the budget includes mandatory funding, $30 billion over four years, in HHS, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy for medical countermeasures manufacturing and related activities to create jobs and prepare Americans for future pandemics. During this pandemic, we have seen the critical role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To ensure that CDC is well positioned to address current and emerging public health threats, the budget restores capacity to the world’s preeminent public health agency, by investing an additional $1.6 billion over the FY 2021 level for a total discretionary level of $8.7 billion. This is the largest budget authority increase for CDC in almost two decades.”
Expanding Affordable Health care
“The FY 2022 Budget makes expanding affordable health care access a priority across Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services programs. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has expanded health insurance coverage to millions of Americans, and the budget goes even further. It builds on the groundbreaking reforms included in the American Rescue Plan Act by extending the premium subsidies that put affordable health care coverage within reach of millions more Americans. One out of four enrollees on Healthcare.gov will be able to upgrade to a new or different plan that offers better out of pocket costs at the same or lower premiums compared to what they were paying before the American Rescue Plan Act.”
“In addition, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an ongoing opportunity to enroll for healthcare coverage through a Special Enrollment Period will be available to individuals through August 15. exit disclaimer icon This effort provides a desperately needed opportunity for individuals and families to apply and enroll in the coverage. As of May 10, over 1 million additional Americans have signed up for health insurance in the Marketplace, and an additional 2 million returned to the Marketplace to obtain improved benefits, both in terms of reduced premiums and more affordable cost sharing…” Read the full press release here.
Source: Statement by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget – May 28, 2021. HHS.
