In addition to $818 billion in mandatory spending, almost all for Medicare and Medicaid, the departments’ discretionary budget would increase by $1.7 billion, to $82.8 billion.
Here are some major features:
Six-month extension of enhanced Medicaid match. Allocates $2.5 billion for a six-month extension, through June 2011, of the stimulus bill’s temporary enhancement of the federal Medicaid match. The money would be part of $290 billion in federal funds allocated for Medicaid.
Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse. Adds a $2 million increase for the Office of the Inspector General to $52 million. However, the office is expected to recoup $722 million in waste, fraud and abuse. The budget “places a renewed emphasis on preventing, detecting and recouping fraudulent, abusive and wasteful payments,” the White House stated.
Comparative effectiveness research. Allocates $286 million for the Agency for Health Research and Quality “to compare the effectiveness of different options, building on the expansion of this research” under the stimulus bill, the White House stated. “The dissemination of this research is expected to led to higher quality evidence based medicine, arming patients and physicians with the best available information to allow them to choose the medical option that will work best for them,” the White House added.
Health IT adoption. Invests $110 million to build momentum on healthcare IT adoption.
Rural healthcare. Allocates $79 million for rural healthcare. The money would be used “to strengthen regional and local partnerships among rural healthcare providers,” the White House stated.
NIH research budget. Increases the National Institutes of Health’s health research budget by $1 billion. However, this proposed increase actually falls short of the $36 billion allocated to NIH in fiscal 2010, which was enriched by the stimulus bill.
Community health centers. Earmarks $290 million for community health centers.
Providers for underserved areas. Allocates $169 million for the National Health Service Corps to support 8,500 healthcare professionals in underserved areas.
ASCs were not specifically mentioned in the president’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2011, which begins on Oct. 1.
Read the White House’s release on its proposed federal budget.
