Press Release: NCUIH Commends Bipartisan Effort to Improve Health Outcomes for Urban Native Communities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 23, 2025)– On July 23, 2025, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) and Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) reintroduced the bipartisan Urban Indian Health Parity Act. This vital provision will help expand access to necessary health services for American Indian and Alaska Native families and children and ensure the federal government better fulfills its trust responsibility.
“We are grateful that Representatives Ruiz and Bacon are once again championing this bipartisan effort. Fulfilling the federal trust responsibility means ensuring all Native people have access to critical resources. With strong support across Indian Country, we urge Congress to act swiftly to pass this important legislation and improve health outcomes for Native communities,” stated Francys Crevier, JD (Algonquin), CEO, National Council of Urban Indian Health
“American Indian and Alaska Native communities deserve more than promises, they deserve action,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). “While there is broad, bipartisan recognition of the need to improve tribal health care—including statements of support from Secretary Kennedy—we have yet to see a detailed, actionable plan to make that a reality. The Urban Indian Parity Act is a practical, bipartisan step they can take right now to close health care gaps, strengthen the Indian Health Service, and protect Native patients—regardless of where they live.”
“I am pleased to join Dr. Ruiz on this bipartisan legislation to ensure Native Americans living in urban areas have access to quality healthcare,” remarked Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02). “Nebraska is home to approximately 16,000 American Indian and Alaska Natives and this legislation will strengthen our healthcare system by providing Urban Indian Organizations with the resources they need to serve their communities effectively.”
This bill would amend the Social Security Act to set the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) at 100% for services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries at urban Indian organizations (100% FMAP for UIOs). States have received 100% FMAP for services provided to IHS/Medicaid beneficiaries at Indian Health Service and Tribal facilities for decades. Congress has been working toward parity through legislation since 1999. Extending 100% FMAP to UIOs will require the federal government to bear the cost of Medicaid services provided to American Indian and Alaska Native patients no matter which facet of the Indian health system they utilize, as is required by the trust responsibility. Parity for UIOs is essential to enable them to collaborate effectively with states to strengthen the Medicaid program for the 46% of Native patients they serve who are Medicaid beneficiaries.
NCUIH released a report and one pager highlighting the importance of 100% FMAP, which includes case studies of two states, Washington and Montana, that successfully utilized the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) temporary authorization of 100% FMAP for UIOs to increase funding support for their UIOs. It also provides an extensive history of 100% FMAP in the Indian health care system.
About NCUIH
The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is a national representative for the 41 Urban Indian Organizations contracting with the Indian Health Service under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. NCUIH is devoted to the support and development of high quality and accessible health and public health services for American Indian and Alaska Native people living in urban areas.
NCUIH respects and supports Tribal sovereignty and the unique government-to-government relationship between our Tribal Nations and the United States. NCUIH works to support those federal laws, policies, and procedures that respect and uplift Tribal sovereignty and the government-to-government relationship. NCUIH does not support any federal law, policy, or procedure that infringes upon or in any way diminishes Tribal sovereignty or the government-to-government relationship.
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NCUIH Contact: Meredith Raimondi, Vice President of Policy and Communications, mraimondi@ncuih.org