HHS Proposes Nearly $700 Billion Budget for Fiscal Year 2008

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt yesterday released details of the President's FY 2008 budget request to Congress for the department. The budget proposes total outlays of nearly $700 billion for Health and Human Services, an increase of more than $28 billion from 2007. This figure includes $67.6 billion in discretionary program spending, which is an increase of $95 million over the FY 2007 full year continuing resolution.

IT-related highlights from the FY 2008 request include:

• $15 million for the Agency for Healthcare research and Quality to accelerate the movement toward personalized medicine, based on highly-individualized information. This initiative undertakes work in the utilization of health IT for linking clinical care with research to improve health care quality while lowering costs.
• $4.3 billion for bioterrorism spending that includes a $135 million increase to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures for the Strategic National Stockpile and $154 million in funding to expand, train, exercise and coordinate medical emergency teams to respond to a real or potential threat.
• $1.2 billion to continue pandemic flu preparedness efforts to increase vaccine production capacity and stockpiling; buy additional antivirals; develop rapid diagnostic tests; and enhance rapid response capabilities.