U.S. Senate Panel Details Health Care Provisions of Economic Stimulus Plan
On Wednesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee released details of a draft of a second economic stimulus package that includes some provisions related to health care, CongressDaily reports (Sanchez, CongressDaily, 7/31). Among other provisions, the package includes:
- $792 million in loans and grants for rural community facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, health and safety vehicles and equipment, and adult and child care facilities;
- $570 million for nutrition programs;
- $500 million for NIH for grants for studies on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and other diseases;
- $350 million to improve hospital care in Louisiana and Mississippi;
- $172 million for USDA to upgrade computer programs and implement the farm bill;
- $91 million to address public health and social services needs after natural disasters; and
- $26 million for CDC to treat infectious diseases (CQ Today, 7/30).
On Wednesday, committee Chair Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) said that he has worked with members of the committee "in the hopes of reaching an agreement to mark up" the package and that he hopes to move the package to the Senate floor in September.
According to CQ Today, Republicans "have been less enthusiastic about the need for another supplemental" (Higa, CQ Today, 7/30).
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Wednesday said that the House likely will consider a second economic stimulus package in September (Bendery, Roll Call, 7/30).
AARP Recommendations
In a letter to House leaders this week, AARP made recommendations on provisions to include in a second economic stimulus package, CQ HealthBeat reports. Among other provisions, AARP recommended additional funds for state Medicaid programs.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday endorsed most of the recommendations. She said that the package will include at least $50 billion in funds (Conlon/Young, CQ HealthBeat, 7/25).