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The latest government funding deal wasn't just stripped of big health policy changes — it also lacks significant raises for a host of federal health agencies. A gridlocked Congress essentially settled on flat funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, avoiding an automatic sequester cut while leaving pandemic preparedness, mental health, biomedical research and public health efforts running at or near the status quo. (Knight and Sullivan, 3/22)

Community health centers and a slew of healthcare programs would receive funding increases under a sweeping bipartisan government appropriations bill congressional leaders introduced Thursday. The $1.2 trillion fiscal 2024 spending package covers about 70% of the federal government, from defense to labor, and includes $117 billion for Health and Human Services Department operations. The measure must be enacted by midnight Friday — an uncertain outcome — to prevent a partial government shutdown. (McAuliff, 3/21)

Congress is racing the clock to approve a $1.2 trillion funding bill ahead of Friday’s night’s shutdown deadline, aiming to pass the sprawling legislation quickly despite intense outrage from conservatives on both sides of the Capitol. The House and Senate have less than 30 hours to pass the six-bill package — which will keep a slew of departments and agencies funded past Friday at midnight — as lawmakers look to avert a partial government shutdown and avoid a weekend full of votes. The six-bill package lays out funding for roughly three-quarters of the federal government, including the departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and State. (Schnell and Weaver, 3/21)

Several new Democrat earmarks in this year's congressional budget request are raising eyebrows among conservative groups. The 1,000 page budget — released around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday — includes earmarks that would go toward controversial LGBTQ+ facilities and a late-term abortion clinic. Another request includes a multimillion-dollar proposal for what critics dub "gun confiscation" research. (Joseph and Elkind, 3/21)

In a deeply polarized election year, President Biden and fellow Democrats wasted little time lambasting a budget proposal from a large group of House Republicans that would, among other things, raise the retirement age for Social Security and endorse a bill that would codify that life begins at conception. The fiscal 2025 budget proposal was released Wednesday by the Republican Study Committee — a bloc that includes 80 percent of Republicans in the House, including every member of House leadership. RSC’s proposed budget was released weeks after House Republicans advanced the conference’s official budget plan out of committee. (Vazquez, 3/21)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: Social Security Chief Testifies In Senate About Plans To Stop ‘Clawback Cruelty’

The new chief of the Social Security Administration outlined for senators Wednesday a plan to tackle overpayments and clawbacks, which affect millions of beneficiaries and, he said, have caused “grave injustices” and left people “in dire financial straits.” ... The agency has harmed people it is supposed to help by reducing or halting benefit checks to recoup billions of dollars in payments it sent them but later said they should never have received. (Hilzenrath and Fleischer, 3/21)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: �鶹Ů�� Health News' 'What The Health?': The ACA Turns 14

Saturday marks the 14th anniversary of the still somewhat embattled Affordable Care Act. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra joins host Julie Rovner to discuss the accomplishments of the health law — and the challenges it still faces. Also this week, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Mary Agnes Carey of �鶹Ů�� Health News join Rovner to discuss what should be the final funding bill for HHS for fiscal 2024, next week’s Supreme Court oral arguments in a case challenging abortion medication, and more. (3/21)