Ethan Jorgensen-Earp is member in Holland & Knight's Washington D.C. office
The Trump Administration on Feb. 12 released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget request, titled "An American Budget." Unlike last year's budget, which was released in late May, the release of this budget conforms to the typical budget calendar where the administration presents its budget blueprint to Congress in February ahead of congressional appropriations work in the spring and summer. The budget proposal does not carry with it force of the law – it is, instead, the President's recommendation to the Congress, which ultimately decides whether and how to implement the proposed appropriations funding levels and other changes.
Notably, President Trump's proposal calls for steep funding cuts to health initiatives, in part by proposing to enact Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal-and-replace legislation, consolidating the activities of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), overhauling Medicaid and implementing Medicare payment reforms. The budget proposal also includes a number of proposals aimed at lowering prescription drugs costs for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
This memorandum provides a closer look at the budget's impact on healthcare-related agencies and programs.
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