Connecticut recently learned the Trump administration is cutting well over $100 million in money for various health programs including COVID-related funds, epidemiology, lab capacity and more.
Public health officials said cuts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) could have devastating impacts on healthcare in the state.
“These recission today are an assault on the health of all of us,” Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, chief of UConn Health’s Infection Disease Division, said during a press conference at the Farmington university hospital.
The state Department of Public Health said HHS notified the agency Tuesday of an abrupt cut of nearly $150 million in grants - part of $11.4 billion in cuts nationwide.
HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said the money was related to a “non-existent pandemic that America moved on from years ago,” and the cuts were part of an effort to shift focuses.
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"HHS is prioritizing funding projects that will deliver on President Trump’s mandate to address our chronic disease epidemic and Make America Healthy Again,” he said in a statement to NBC News.
But officials in Connecticut said that’s not a fair characterization of those programs.
A breakdown from Gov. Ned Lamont’s office said $118.9 million funded epidemiology and lab capacity, $26.3 million help with vaccine awareness efforts and $4.5 million helped with addressing health inequities.
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This included money for various lab testing, such as screening newborns for various rare conditions and support in emergency outbreaks.
The DPH also relied on the funding to modernize labs and information sharing systems.
Commissioner Manisha Juthani said the agency still received disease data from around the state via fax machine prior to an influx in COVID aid.
“We're going to be back to an antiquated system of faxing results,” she said. “That is a disservice to the people of Connecticut.”
Lamont (D-Connecticut) said states need HHS to take the lead on disease prevention and emergency preparedness, and warned this cut could leave officials unprepared for another pandemic.
“It was just five years ago we were going through COVID hell, just five years ago that we said we were never going to let this happen again,” Lamont said.
He said Connecticut could try to fill the void with its surplus, but those conversations would be part of negotiations for the next two-year budget.
Lawmakers may not approve a new spending plan until June.
