HHS Is Tightening Its Belt, Argues Sebelius

By Rachel Christiansen

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius appeared before a Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday defending President Obama’s 2012 budget, which proposes an increase of funds in certain programs under the department’s jurisdiction, such as early childhood education.

Sebelius assured a Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies that the department is also making necessary budget cuts for every program invested in. 

Programs outlined for reductions include the Low Income Home Energy Assistance, Community Services Block Grant, and the Senior Community Services Employment Program.

HHS also plans to completely eliminate subsidies to Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education.

“We cut waste where we found it. When programs weren’t working well enough, we redesigned them,” Sebelius said, adding that some wouldn’t have been cut in “better budget times.” 

The budget also includes $450 million for implementing the new health care reform law. 

The top Republican on the subpanel, Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), said he was “disappointed the administration has not significantly reduced healthcare spending.”

The money includes $236 million for state health insurance exchanges; $120 million for the long-term care CLASS Act; $38 million for the Healthcare.gove Website; and $28 million to help consumers navigate the private insurance market.

Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said that efforts to use the Labor-HHS appropriations bill to defund the law, “will not happen on my watch.”