Congressional Leaders Request $200 Million for Urban Indian Health in FY22

On April 30, 28 Congressional leaders requested $200.5 million for urban Indian health in FY22 from the House Appropriations Committee.

Reps. Grijalva and Gallego requested $200.5 million for urban Indian health with $12 billion for IHS as recommended by the Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup in a forward appropriations letter to Chairwoman Pingree and Ranking Member Joyce of the House Interior Appropriations Committee. The letter cited that this increase in funding would “make a huge difference to UIOs in providing care to urban Indians due to historically low funding levels for urban Indian health. Another letter by Reps. Adam Smith and Don Young included $200.5 million for urban Indian health and $24 million for Tribal Epidemiology Centers in FY22.

These appropriations letters come as a continued effort by NCUIH to address acute health disparities for AI/ANs living in urban areas, who suffer greater rates of chronic disease, infant mortality and suicide compared to all other populations that have only been exacerbated by COVID-19. Congress has acknowledged these the significant health care disparities in Indian Country, but continuously underfunds IHS at around $4,000 per patient, and UIOs at less than $700 per patient even though AI/ANs living in urban areas comprise over two-thirds of the total American Indian Alaska Native population.

These Appropriations letters send a powerful and straightforward message to Chairwoman Pingree and Ranking Member Joyce and members of Congress to fulfill the federal government’s trust responsibility to all AI/ANs to provide safe and quality healthcare, funding for urban Indian health must be significantly increased.

NCUIH is grateful for the support of the following Representatives:

• Ruben Gallego
• Raul Grijalva
• Adam Smith
• Don Young
• Nanette Diaz Barragan
• Karen Bass
• Earl Blumenauer
• Emanuel Cleaver II
• Sharice L. Davids
• Diana DeGette
• Suzanne DelBene
• Sylvia Garcia
• Steven Horsford
• Sheila Jackson Lee
• Pramila Jayapal
• Ro Khanna
• Teresa Leger Fernandez
• Zoe Lofgren
• Doris Matsui
• Gwen Moore
• Eleanor Holmes Norton
• Tom O’Halleran
• Ilhan Omar
• Raul Ruiz, MD
• Kim Schrier, MD
• Greg Stanton
• Marilyn Strickland

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