NCUIH Engages Federal Leaders on Urban Indian Health at NATIVE HEALTH Site Visit in Arizona
On April 9, 2026, Walter Murillo (Choctaw), Board President of National Council of Urban Indian Health and CEO of NATIVE HEALTH, welcomed a distinguished group of federal leaders to NATIVE HEALTH’s Arizona facility for a site visit showcasing the important role of Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) in delivering care to Native communities. NATIVE Health is one of 11 HRSA-funded UIOs serving Native communities across the country.
The delegation included Tom Engels, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator; Mark Cruz, Senior Advisor to HHS Secretary Kennedy; Jack Ganter, HRSA Director of Legislation; and Devin Delrow, Principal Advisor for Tribal Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NCUIH CEO, Francys Crevier (Algonquin), joined the visit, ensuring NCUIH had a direct voice in conversations with federal decision-makers.
During the visit, leaders toured the facility, engaged with staff, and witnessed firsthand how UIOs provide culturally responsive care in urban settings. NCUIH used the occasion to elevate a top priority: securing an exemption for Tribal and Urban Indian facilities from HRSA’s 340B Rebate Model Pilot. The 340B drug pricing program is essential to UIO operations, enabling facilities like NATIVE HEALTH to extend limited resources and broaden access to care for American Indian and Alaska Native patients.
NCUIH also reinforced the distinct legal and operational framework within which UIOs function — a framework that federal policy must account for. Engagements like this are critical to ensuring Native voices are part of federal decision-making and that agency leadership understands the on-the-ground realities of urban Indian health programs.
NCUIH will continue pursuing direct engagement with HRSA and HHS leadership to protect and advance UIO priorities.
Background
The 340B Drug Pricing Program allows qualifying safety-net providers, including UIOs, to purchase outpatient drugs at significantly reduced costs. These savings are reinvested to expand services and improve health outcomes for underserved populations. HRSA’s proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot has raised concerns across the UIO community, as it could undermine the financial sustainability of programs that American Indian and Alaska Native communities in urban areas depend on. NCUIH has consistently worked to protect Tribal and Urban Indian facilities from harmful changes to the 340B program.
