PRESS RELEASE: NCUIH Applauds Bipartisan Reintroduction of the Urban Indian Health Parity Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 30, 2023) – On November 30, 2023, Representative Ruiz (D-CA-25) and Representative Bacon (R-NE-02) reintroduced the bipartisan Urban Indian Health Parity Act, which 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). 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 is better fulfilling its trust responsibility.
States have received 100% FMAP for services provided to IHS/Medicaid beneficiaries at Indian Health Service and Tribal facilities for decades, and UIOs have advocated for parity through legislation since 1999. Extending 100% FMAP to UIOs will require the federal government to bear the cost of Medicaid services provided to AI/ANs no matter which facet of the Indian health system they utilize, as is required by the trust responsibility. Parity for UIOs will support UIOs in working with their states to improve the Medicaid program for the 46% of Native patients seen at UIOs who are Medicaid beneficiaries.
“We applaud Representatives Ruiz and Bacon for this bipartisan effort to ensure that the federal government honors its trust responsibility to Native people and improves health outcomes that are desperately needed. With broad support from Indian Country, we are hopeful that Congress will move forward with ending this inequity to expand resources for communities that benefit from the necessary services provided by urban Indian organizations and all Indian Health Care Providers,” said Francys Crevier, CEO of NCUIH.
NCUIH recently released a report 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.
Read the Press Release from Rep. Ruiz and Rep. Bacon here: Congressman Ruiz, Bacon Introduce Legislation to Address the Health Disparities in Native American Communities
About NCUIH
The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is the national non-profit organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally competent health and public health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban areas. NCUIH is the only national representative of the 41 Title V Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) under the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). NCUIH strives to improve the health of the over 70% of the AI/AN population that lives in urban areas, supported by quality, accessible health care centers.
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NCUIH Contact: Meredith Raimondi, Vice President of Policy and Communications, mraimondi@ncuih.org, 202-417-7781
