For some, President Donald Trump’s proposed budget might be insult to injury.
Last year, the federal government made significant reductions in health care coverage in Medicaid through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR 1). Now, Trump is proposing even more drastic cuts to the health care system. budget proposal for fiscal year 2027sparking outrage among health policy experts.
“On the heels of massive, historic cuts to human resources, 1 President Trump is doubling down on deep cuts to health care. … This is a significant attack on our health, both in keeping people healthy and in the services they receive when they get sick,” Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, said in an interview. Families USA is a patient advocacy organization.
Overall, the budget requests $111.1 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, a decrease of $15.8 billion or 12.5% from 2026. Trump’s budget proposal includes:
- A $5 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health, as well as the elimination of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, which conducts scientific research to improve the health of minorities.
- $5 billion in cuts to programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)
- $356 million cut from the Agency for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which helps hospitals prepare for pandemics
- Cutting $129 million in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which focuses on improving health outcomes and patient safety.
There are “modest” investments in areas like nutrition, but they are small compared to the scale of the cuts in the proposal, according to Wright. For example, it suggests investing $19 million to expand access to nutrition services in health centers, as well as $57 million to strengthen national nutrition and food security by removing dangerous chemicals from the food supply.
Reactions from several healthcare leaders described below highlight concerns about the potential impact on employers, veterans, patients with infectious diseases and mental health issues, and the future of medical research.
An official with the Legal Action Center (LAC) said the potential negative impact of the budget proposal is significant, especially when combined with other actions by this administration, such as cuts to Medicaid.
“The President’s proposed 2027 budget and its cuts to SAMHSA, as well as the looming cuts to Medicaid enacted by last year’s federal reconciliation bill, threaten to destabilize the nation’s system that supports lifesaving treatments and harm reduction services proven to reduce fatal overdoses, support long-term recovery, and reduce the spread of infectious diseases,” said Teresa Miller, LAC National Director of Health Initiatives.
Another leader of an employer advocacy organization echoed those comments, saying the budget raises serious concerns about the future of health care programs.
“As a veteran, I know how critical these benefits are – and any significant reduction in federal health research and health programs would have real and lasting consequences for patients, employers and the entire workforce,” said Jenny Goins, chief of staff for the National Alliance of Healthcare Buyers Coalition. “Employers cannot absorb additional pressure on an already strained healthcare system; these decisions must prioritize patient care and workforce stability. »
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is particularly concerned about how proposed budget cuts to the NIH would harm cancer research.
“Fewer resources are having a significant impact on our national biomedical research ecosystem by slowing breakthroughs, reducing funding, and hindering progress against rising cancer cases,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN.
Lacasse added that maintaining the level of funding for the National Cancer Institute does not match medical inflation and could delay progress in prevention, early detection and treatment.
What awaits us
Just because the budget is proposed does not mean that Congress will ratify it as proposed.
The President’s budget proposal is a recommendation to Congress that sets the Administration’s priorities. THE The House and Senate will create their own budget resolutions, which they bring together into a single framework, and pass funding bills that must be approved by both chambers. Congress then sends these bills to the president to sign or veto.
Several advocacy organizations are calling on Congress to reject Trump’s proposal. He proposed a similar one last year, which did not pass Congress.
“Congress demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the fight against cancer by working together across party lines to approve a FY26 budget that invests in hope, science and saves lives,” said Lacasse of ACS CAN.
However, there is also the budget reconciliation process, which is a quick way for Congress to pass major budget changes. It can pass on a partisan basis with just 51 votes instead of the usual 60. This process has been used in the past to enact significant health policy changes, including changes to Medicaid.
“I would hope that a bipartisan budget that is passed would not include these cuts, but I am very concerned about what a budget reconciliation package that is only passed on partisan lines would include,” Families USA’s Wright said. “They made the biggest cuts in Medicaid history last year in a budget reconciliation, passed on partisan lines. Many party leaders have said they want to make additional cuts to health care. I think that’s very concerning and alarming.”
Photo: Tim Abramowitz, Getty Images
