Pallone Delivers Health Care Wins for New Jersey in Government Funding Agreement

WASHINGTON - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) touted the inclusion of important health care provisions in the final set of government funding bills, which passed in the House today.

The package of health care initiatives was rejected by the House Republican leadership in December 2024 when Elon Musk intervened and scuttled a bipartisan agreement. Over the last year, Pallone continued the drumbeat and successfully fought to move these policies that will support health care facilities in New Jersey and help lower costs for Americans:

"While this package was needlessly held up by Elon Musk for over a year, I'm relieved we're finally able to pass it in the House. This agreement has a number of important policy victories including an 8% increase in funding for Community Health Centers, prevents devastating cuts to hospitals that care for underserved communities, and funds Teaching Health Centers through 2029.

"I also fought to increase funding to address a critical funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program to ensure our 9/11 heroes receive the care they deserve, including those at our local clinic at Rutgers in Piscataway which has treated thousands of first responders and survivors. I'm also pleased to announce the agreement extends Medicare telehealth for two years to ensure seniors can continue to receive the care they need and helps lower prescription drug prices for patients by cracking down on unfair practices by Pharmacy Benefit Managers.

"Unfortunately, these funding increases are a drop in the bucket compared to Republicans' devastating health care cuts in Trump's Big Ugly Bill, which will result in millions losing their health coverage.

"It's unconscionable that Republican leaders are doubling down on their cruelty by refusing to include the Affordable Care Act enhanced tax credits, which passed the House overwhelmingly earlier this month. It's time for Senate Republican leaders to stop playing games and put the House-passed bill on the floor immediately so that we can help lower health costs for millions of Americans who are bearing the brunt of the Republican health care crisis."

Pallone fought to include a number of important policy provisions in the government funding package, including:

• The largest increase in mandatory funding for Community Health Centers in a decade-equivalent to $4.6 billion for 2026;
• Increasing federal funding for the World Trade Center Health Program to ensure program stability for first responders and survivors to continue to receive the care and services they need;
• Preventing $16 billion in hospital cuts from going into effect for facilities that disproportionately serve vulnerable patients, many of which are in New Jersey;
• Strengthening the health care workforce with significant funding increases for Teaching Health Centers (65% increase from 2025 to 2029) and the National Health Service Corps (13% over 2023). Pallone previously helped secure a federal Planning and Development grant for the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Community Health Center. That grant supports the groundwork needed to establish a residency program and positions New Jersey to compete for full Teaching Health Center status in the future;
• Helping lower prescription drug costs for patients by cracking down on unfair practices by Pharmacy Benefit Managers; and
• Guaranteeing access to no-cost generic medications for low-income seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare and making it easier for low-cost generics to enter the market

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