Advocacy & Practice Updates — Advocacy & Practice
President's FY 2026 Budget Proposes Significant HHS Cuts; Omits Policy Details
On Friday, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent Congress the President’s initial 2026 budget proposal request. The annual budget request does not have the force of law, but gives Congress direction as it begins the next year’s appropriations process. As in the past during a President’s first year in office, OMB presents only an overview or “skinny” budget early in the term with the administration’s broad objectives. This scaled back 2026 budget leaves out detailed discussion of the President’s policy objectives, but continues the theme established since the first days of his term of significantly reducing the size and scope of the federal government.
The budget request proposes to fund the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at $93.8 billion—or 26.2% less than FY 2025. Of that total, CMS is proposed to receive a $674 million cut aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion activities and cutting some operational contracts. The administration does not expect the cuts to impact Medicare or Medicaid benefits. In addition, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would receive a nearly $18 billion cut. The proposal does not include funding recommendations for FDA. It is early in the appropriations process in Congress, so it is unclear how these proposals will fare, but funding and staffing reductions the administration made earlier this year at NIH in particular have drawn bipartisan opposition.
(Published 5.6.25)