FY 2027 Budget Proposal: Potential Impacts on Public Health and Research
On April 3, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the FY 2027 President’s Budget, outlining a significant shift in federal health priorities. The proposal introduces a 12.5% reduction in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), totaling $111.1 billion. For ACSM members—including researchers, clinicians, and fitness professionals—these proposed changes to agency structures and funding streams could significantly impact the future of exercise science and preventive medicine.
The centerpiece of the reorganization is the creation of a new entity: the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). This body would consolidate several existing functions to streamline operations and eliminate what the administration deems “duplicative” programming.
While the AHA proposal lists chronic disease prevention as a core priority, the structural shift involves moving several programs out of the CDC and HRSA, which historically house physical activity and obesity initiatives.
The budget calls for the elimination or substantial reduction of several programs that directly align with ACSM’s mission to advance and integrate scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.
Proposed cuts include:
1. Research and Innovation Cuts
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): 12% cut ($5.75 billion). For researchers, this could lead to a dramatic drop in grant success rates. Furthermore, a proposed 15% cap on indirect cost reimbursement could strain the infrastructure of universities and research hospitals.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): Significant funding cuts are proposed for this agency, which focuses on making health care safer, higher quality, and more accessible.
- Departmental Eliminations: The budget proposes eliminating the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), which often funds research into non-pharmacological interventions like exercise.
2. Public Health and Prevention
- Elimination of the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF), which provided $1.4 billion in FY 2026 for CDC programs.
- Total reduction of $985 million to Chronic Disease & Prevention Activities, potentially impacting the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO).
- Elimination of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) and Education and Research Centers could impact professionals specializing in occupational sports medicine and workplace wellness.
It is important to remember that the President’s Budget serves as a policy blueprint rather than a final spending plan. During the last appropriations cycle, Congress rejected many of these structural changes and funding cuts.
As the budget moves to Capitol Hill, ACSM will continue to monitor the situation. ACSM remains committed to advocating for the federal support necessary to advance the science of exercise and the health of our communities.
More information on the President’s Budget can be found here.
HHS Announces New Healthcare Advisory Committee
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the formation of a new Healthcare Advisory Committee tasked with shaping the future of care delivery and financing. The 18-member committee will provide non-binding recommendations affecting Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Specifically, the committee will focus on:
- Chronic Disease Management: Developing policies to improve the prevention and management of chronic conditions, a core area where physical activity interventions are critical.
- Quality and Safety Outcomes: Increasing accountability for patient outcomes while actively working to reduce the administrative burdens that often hinder providers.
- Data-Driven Care: Utilizing real-time data to enhance the quality of care, accelerate claims processing, and modernize quality measurement.
- Vulnerable Populations: Addressing the unique needs of underserved communities, particularly those supported by Medicaid.
- Medicare Advantage (MA) Sustainability: Modernizing risk adjustment and quality metrics to ensure the long-term viability of MA plans.
The committee is comprised of 18 individuals from across the healthcare landscape, including physicians, policy experts, and health system executives.
ACSM worked to nominate several highly qualified members to be on this committee, however none were selected of the 400 applicants. We appreciate the time these members took to submit their applications.
As HHS looks toward this committee to identify ways to modernize how healthcare is financed and delivered, ACSM remains committed to ensuring that the role of physical activity and preventive medicine remains a central part of the national conversation.
A press release can be found here.
House Energy and Commerce Committee to Review Public Health Proposals
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health has formally scheduled a legislative hearing for April 15, 2026, titled “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals to Improve Public Health.” This session will evaluate several measures intended to strengthen federal health frameworks including H.R. 6121, the Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act. ACSM has been working on this important initiative for several years.
H.R. 6121 seeks to provide a statutory basis for the development and dissemination of national physical activity standards. Key provisions of the legislation include:
- Mandatory Guideline Updates: Requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to publish updated Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans every ten years based on current scientific data.
- Inter-Agency Coordination: Directing federal agencies to ensure that all relevant health promotion and disease prevention materials align with these established guidelines.
- Midcourse Reporting: Mandating a five-year progress report to assess the implementation of the guidelines and identify emerging research needs.
The hearing announcement can be found here.
ACSM will share an update on the hearing outcomes in a special edition of the Advocacy Newsletter in the upcoming days.
