The 2019 budget proposal developed by Trump Administration is reported to make steep cuts to the Office of the National Coordinator, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and the Office of Civil Rights. This raises many eyebrows as the cuts have been while Trump was doubling down on the government’s attempts to fight the mounting opioid crisis.
According to reliable reports, HHS’s discretionary budget would be reduced by 21 percent. It would further remove anti-poverty initiatives and a wide range of workforce training along with slashing Medicaid and Medicare funds by billions of dollars.
The budget proposal further cuts ONC’s enlistment from 185 to 162 and reduces the budget to $38 million, which is more than one-third or the previous value. Similarly, OCR’s budget is also reported to be slashed from $39 million to $31. It will be losing five staff members, even after OCR Director Roger Severino recent announcement for a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division.
Interestingly, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration is reported to be getting a good boost.
Trump has proposed the provision of approximately $10 billion to HHS in new discretionary funding aimed to address the opioid epidemic along with helping people suffering from serious mental illnesses. Per the letter accompanying the budget, the funding would focus on helping those who abuse opioids in getting access to overdose reversal treatments, drugs, and recovery support services.
The proposed budget is also expected to provide the NIH $9.2 billion, or an approximate $1.4 billion increase compared with the last year. This further includes $750 million from the approximate $10 billion specified to HHS to address mental illness and fight the opioid epidemic.
A statement in the budget reads, “The Budget reflects a solemn and unshakable commitment to liberate communities from the scourge of opioids and drug addiction.”
Congressional Democrats just called on Trump to boost funding for the epidemic and consecutively report on the improvement the Trump administration has made on this issue since declaring the opioid crisis a serious public health emergency.
According to reports, the FDA will further receive $10 million of the HHS’ $10 billion in funding to fight the opioid crisis.
