Richard H. Hughes, IV, Member of the Firm in the Health Care & Life Sciences practice, in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was quoted in Roll Call, in “Trump Directive on Grants Spurs Uncertainty for Health Programs,” by Jessie Hellman.
Following is an excerpt:
An order from President Donald Trump to temporarily block the disbursement of most federal grants and loans could have a massive impact on health programs ranging from those addressing HIV and AIDS to maternal health and services for older Americans.
The announcement, which created exceptions for direct-aid programs such as Medicare and Social Security, sent shock waves through Washington and state governments Tuesday, with stakeholders scrambling to understand the impact of the freeze on programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program, nutrition programs for seniors, public health programs and much more.
The uncertainty is amplified by a communications pause the Trump administration put on federal agencies, leaving even state governments in the dark.
“A pause on grant funding can be very disruptive for all health programs,” even if temporary, said Richard Hughes IV, a health lawyer at Epstein Becker Green. “It’s an all-of-government directive that puts everything into a lurch for states and grantees.”