On Friday, the White House shared President Trump’s budget requests for the fiscal year 2026, highlighting a significant cut—approximately 25%—in discretionary funds allocated to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
In a letter from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to OMB Director Russell Vought, key changes in discretionary funding proposed by the administration were detailed. The budget plan suggests a $33.3 billion reduction in HHS funding, which amounts to a 26.2% cut from the previous year’s budget.
Specifically, this includes a $3.6 billion decrease for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an $18 billion cut for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $674 million reduction in management for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and a $240 million cut related to strategic preparation and response management.
Interestingly, the only health initiative set to receive discretionary funds in the proposal is the Make America Healthy (MAHA) initiative, under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has a budget allocation of $500 million. The budget rationale promotes these funds as a means to empower officials to address various health-related issues, including nutrition and the reliance on medications.
Vought’s letter emphasizes that the proposed funding levels stem from rigorous reviews of fiscal year 2025 spending, suggesting a disconnect with the needs of everyday working Americans. The administration contended that many of the cuts were necessary due to what they consider redundant or unnecessary programs within the CDC.
For the NIH, suggested cuts include the elimination of funding for certain initiatives focused on minority health disparities and nursing, as well as programs related to complementary health approaches.
Despite reductions depicted in discretionary funding, the proposal asserts that Medicaid’s capacity to provide benefits will not be affected, though this claim faces skepticism from House Republicans, who are also seeking budget cuts.
Additionally, the Trump administration classified the low-income housing energy assistance program, which aids households with heating and cooling costs, as unnecessary, arguing that existing policies already provide utility protections for low-income residents.
Sen. Collins expressed her reservations about the proposal, stating, “This budget request is just one part of the annual budget process. It’s late to Congress, and many details are still unclear.” She added that she strongly questions the proposed freeze on defense funding given the current security landscape, and also noted the implications for programs supporting low-income heating assistance and biomedical research.
