National Health Council Statement on FY 2027 Appropriations

Prepared Written Testimony
Randall Rutta
Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
April 16, 2026

The National Health Council (NHC) appreciates the opportunity to provide input to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies on the FY 2027 appropriations process. The nearly 200 million patients and families we represent through our patient organization members rely on a wide range of federal programs to access care, maintain coverage, and benefit from continued medical innovation. We urge the Subcommittee to reject harmful funding cuts and instead advance FY 2027 appropriations bills that invest in a robust health care system to support people living with chronic diseases and disabilities. From a patient perspective, we are also concerned that significant structural changes across HHS may create gaps in coordination, continuity, and access to services at a time when individuals already face complex and fragmented systems.

For more than 100 years, the NHC has engaged diverse organizations to drive patient-centered health policies and practices that increase access to affordable, high-value, and sustainable health care for all Americans. The NHC's membership is composed of more than 180 national health-related organizations, the majority being the nation's leading patient organizations. Other members include health related associations and nonprofit organizations including the provider, research, and family caregiver communities, as well as businesses representing biopharmaceutical, device, diagnostic, generic drug, and payer organizations.

The President's budget proposal would significantly weaken the nation's health and research infrastructure through substantial reductions to programs and agencies under the Subcommittee's jurisdiction. This includes a more than 12 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and reductions to the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), as well as proposals to restructure or eliminate several NIH institutes and centers that are essential to addressing health disparities and advancing patient-centered research. Additional cuts to key agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), would further erode the nation's public health infrastructure and limit the federal government's ability to respond to emerging health challenges. These proposed reductions come alongside an overall decrease of approximately $15.8 billion in discretionary HHS funding, underscoring the scale of the anticipated contraction in federal health investment.

Taken together, these proposals would jeopardize access to comprehensive, affordable coverage and undermine the research, public health, and disability support systems that patients rely on for improved health outcomes and quality of life.

As the Subcommittee develops the FY 2027 bill, NHC supports:

• Sustained and predictable funding for NIH, including preserving the integrity of institutes and centers that address chronic disease, disability, and health disparities
• Significant investment in CDC and core public health infrastructure, including surveillance, prevention, and emergency preparedness capacity
• Continued funding for ARPA-H and innovation programs that accelerate breakthroughs in treatment and care delivery
• Strong support for AHRQ to advance evidence-based care, patient safety, and health system quality
• Robust funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure timely review and approval of safe and effective medical products, maintain rigorous safety oversight, and sustain core programs across drugs, biologics, and devices, which are essential to patient access and continued medical innovation
• Protection and strengthening of Medicaid and related coverage programs, which are foundational to access for people with chronic conditions and disabilities
• Investment in CMS program operations and beneficiary support, including education, appeals, and modernization efforts that improve patient experience and access
• Sustained funding for disability and community-based services programs that enable independence and quality of life

These investments are foundational to a strong, patient-centered health system and are essential to maintaining access to care, advancing innovation, and supporting patients and families nationwide.

The NHC stands ready to work with the Subcommittee and Congress to ensure patients remain at the center of all policy decisions.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration. Please contact Kimberly Beer, Senior Vice President, Policy and External Affairs, at [email protected] or 202-557-9146 with any questions or requests for additional information.