Following a near-unanimous bipartisan vote in the Senate, today the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a $2 trillion economic stimulus package, known as the CARES Act, to respond to the national COVID-19 public health crisis. In addition to providing payments and support to individuals, families and businesses, the package includes a number of health care infrastructure support measures including:

• Provisions to address medical product supply shortages, including drug and device shortages.
• Mandates free COVID-19 testing, including for Medicare B and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and requires private insurance to cover COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.
• $1.3 billion for community health centers.
• Renews HRSA grant programs that promote the use of telehealth technologies;
• $117 billion in funding for hospitals and Veterans Health Care.
• $4.3 billion for the CDC, with $1.5 billion toward state and local preparedness grants.
• $945 million for the NIH.

The President is expected to sign the CARES Act into law.