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