House Approps Approves 2019 HHS Funding Bill Banning New ACA Funds

The House Appropriations Committee approved 30-22 a fiscal 2019 HHS funding bill, following a marathon 13-hour markup, that includes a provision blocking any new funding for the Affordable Care Act and prohibiting the use of funding for existing navigator programs. The legislation includes $3.5 billion for CMS administrative expenses, which is $168 million below the fiscal 2018 enacted level and $42 million below the fiscal 2019 request. The funding bill also prohibits the collection of user fees from individual market...