Law fellows will have both internal and external responsibilities grounded in serving urban Indian organizations (UIOs) to advance the mission of NCUIH through policy, advocacy, outreach, technical assistance, and research projects in the health care and public health fields. Law interns/fellows will report to the Director of Federal Relations and regularly work with NCUIH’s Executive Director and Director of Congressional Relations. In addition, law intern/fellows’ work will include analyses of agency activities and support for engagement with agencies under the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), including the Indian Health Service (IHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Administration for Children & Families, HHS Office of the Inspector General, and more; Department of Justice; Department of Veterans Affairs; Department of Agriculture; and other agencies as relevant to NCUIH’s mission. Regulatory and policy priorities within the last year have included the following areas: the federal trust responsibility, Medicaid, Medicare, third-party reimbursement, behavioral health, domestic violence, opioids and substance use disorders, HIV and Hepatitis-C, Federal Tort Claims Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, and more.
Responsibilities:
- Research and analysis of policy issues relevant to Indian Health Care Providers, including regulatory activity, litigation, and proposed and enacted legislation;
- Monitoring regulations, proposed rules, and other agency activity;
- Drafting comments in response to regulatory proposals from IHS, CMS, and other agencies;
- Budget and appropriations analysis;
- Summarizing complex policy updates and synthesizing technical information into easily digestible updates for C-level executives at health facilities;
- Preparing testimony, technical reports, policy position papers, and other policy analyses on key health care and public health issues;
- Technical assistance to urban Indian organizations, Tribal Organizations, national Indian organizations, agencies, and more;
- Tracking and analyzing appellate litigation relevant to Indian Health Care Providers and NCUIH’s mission;
- Facilitating Urban Confer between IHS and UIOs;
- Providing support to NCUIH staff for, and assisting in, the education of federal agencies and Congress on ways to improve health care and public health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives residing in urban areas; and
- Other legal and policy projects as assigned.