The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations voted June 9, to advance its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), federal fiscal year (FY) 2027 spending bill and accompanying report language. Although the bill includes a 9% cut to the Labor-HHS budget, concerning funding for the NIH, it does not implement the president’s budget request.
The bill would provide $47.4 billion in base funding for NIH, an increase of $100 million. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) would be provided with $7.2 billion, an increase of $110 million, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering would be level funded at $440.6 million. The House bill also would maintain level funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) at $1.5 billion.
The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, of which ACR® is a member, released a statement about the bill expressing appreciation for the Appropriation Committee’s leadership to prioritize medical research and funding in the FY 2027 budget.
Medical imaging was highlighted in multiple portions of the bill’s report language, including under the NCI:
“Medical Imaging Technologies in Cancer Screening Trials.—The Committee supports clinical trials conducted by the NCI to assess the potential role of blood tests to detect cancer in the body. Medical imaging, as a means of conducting a diagnostic workup following a positive assay and as a method for disease characterization, is essential to this clinical trial and assessment process, and is the current standard of care for validation of positive cancer blood test results. Imaging is a known necessity for a cancer diagnosis and treatment and should continue to hold a core function in the clinical trial process. The Committee encourages NCI to include imaging technologies and tools in these clinical trials, as they are the essential component of each precise cancer diagnosis and help ensure patients receive effective care.”
The report language also highlights the committee’s concerns related to the No Surprises Act. It emphasized providers not being paid by health plans within the required timeframe or not being paid at all following independent dispute resolution (IDR) awards. It underscores that reliable enforcement of IDR outcomes is critical to maintaining provider and plan participation in the process and directs HHS, Labor, and Treasury to report within 180 days on insurer compliance, including payment timeliness, complaint data and enforcement actions. The report states:
“No Surprises Act.—The Committee is concerned by reports from providers and physician organizations indicating that a significant number of Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) awards are not being paid within the required timeframe or are not being paid at all. Providers have limited recourse when health plans do not comply, particularly following the Fifth Circuit’s 2025 ruling that IDR determinations are not privately enforceable in Federal court. The Committee believes that the enforceability of IDR determinations is essential to the willingness of providers and health plans to participate in the process in good faith. The Committee directs the Departments of HHS, Labor, and the Treasury, to submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act on insurer compliance with IDR payment requirements, including data on the timeliness of payments, the volume and nature of non-payment complaints, and enforcement actions taken to date.”
Congress has until Sept. 30 to pass FY 2027 appropriation bills. The final FY 2027 bill for NIH may not reflect the House Appropriation Committee’s funding proposals for NIH as the House and Senate must negotiate a consensus version of bills, including a final allocation to NIH and other federal agencies. ACR continues to advocate for increased funding to both NIH and ARPA-H as the FY 2027 appropriations process continues.
For more information or if you have questions, contact Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.
