The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies convened a hearing on April 15 to examine the Biden Administration’s fiscal year 2022 budget request for HHS. HHS Secretary Becerra testified.
Subcommittee members generally voiced bipartisan support for the Administration’s HHS budget request, particularly the increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Strategic National Stockpile. Members asked about various provider-related issues—specifically regarding health care worker shortages in rural areas, the removal of telehealth barriers to promote equal access to care, and implementation of surprise billing legislation.