| FY 2011 Budget Requests $81.3 Billion For HHS
President Barack Obama submitted his proposal for the
fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget, asking for a total of $3.69 trillion; the
Federal Trade Commission approved the proposal submitting it to
Congress for review.
Obama designed the budget to revolve around investments
in healthcare, the well-being of Americans and veterans, education,
enhancing the job market, etc.
The budget request for the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) is $81.3 billion, compared to 2010's authorized
$79.6 billion. On top of the request list is money for HIT development.
"Digitizing the healthcare sector is a critical part of
creating a healthcare system that is more effective and efficient. The
budget includes $110 million for continuing efforts to strengthen
health IT policy, coordination and research activities," according to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The budget plans on fighting waste and abuse of federal
agencies through "$250 million in additional resources that, among
other things, will help expand the Health Care Fraud prevention and
Enforcement Action Team initiative, a joint effort by HHS and DOJ. As a
result, the Administration will be better able to minimize
inappropriate payments, close loopholes, and provide greater value for
program expenditures to beneficiaries and taxpayers," said OMB.
Patient-centered health research has been designated
$286 million for the research of treatments to determine what works and
what doesn’t. An additional $2.5 billion will be allocated to
health centers serving the underserved for primary and preventative
care. The proposed amount will not only improve care at existing
facilities, but will also fund the opening of another 25 centers across
the U.S., said OMB.
In an effort to pick up slack where healthcare has been
diminishing, a total of $4.4 billion will increase access to health
services for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Rural healthcare will
receive $79 million to strengthen the quality of care through local and
regional partnerships.
Other initiatives of HHS are to: combat childhood
obesity; increase funding for biomedical research; improve
care/treatment/awareness of HIV/AIDS; improve the care of the elderly
and disabled through demonstration projects; expand substance abuse
treatment while improving identification measures; and enhance the
development of medical countermeasures against possible threats and
attacks.
Address: Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington DC 20503; (202) 395-3080, www.whitehouse.gov/omb.
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