BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics & Policy

NIH funding boost trimmed in 21st Century Cures bill

July 3, 2015 1:09 AM UTC

A new version of the 21st Century Cures Act released Thursday would provide $8.8 billion over five years for an NIH Innovation Fund, a decrease of $1.2 billion from previous versions of the bill.

The cut follows intensive negotiations and lobbying as the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee has scrambled to find budget offsets to pay for the legislation. The committee had voted to change the timing of payments to insurance companies that run Medicare Advantage drug benefit programs, saving the federal government $5-$7 billion over five years. Insurance industry lobbyists persuaded House Republican leaders to withdraw the provision. ...