The Remington Report

The appropriations package (H.R. 1105) provides $66.3 billion in discretionary funding for HHS programs, a 3% increase from the current level. The appropriations package (H.R. 1105) provides $66.3 billion in discretionary funding for HHS programs, a 3% increase from the current level.

The Senate approved and sent to the president a fiscal year 2009 omnibus spending package for the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies. The HHS funding includes $171 million for Title VIII nursing workforce development programs, a 9.6% increase; $75 million for state health access grants; $50 million for comparative effectiveness research; $43.5 million for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; and $39.2 million for rural flexibility grants. The House approved the bill on Feb. 25.