House releases appropriations bill with key health provisions

The House Appropriations Committee released text of a three-bill minibus for fiscal year 2026 that includes funding for key health programs and other bipartisan health care provisions and extensions. The bill provides a discretionary total of $116.6 billion to the Health and Human Services Department and maintains funding for key health care workforce and behavioral health programs. The bill proposes $197.7 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research in line with requests from the Nursing Community Coalition. It includes an American Hospital Association-supported two-year extension of telehealth flexibilities and a five-year extension of hospital-at-home flexibilities. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the bill before the Jan. 30 funding deadline. (AHA News article, 1/20/26)