FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Meredith Raimondi
202-544-0344
mraimondi@ncuih.org  

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Passes Resolution Urging the United States Congress to Reimburse Urban Indian Organizations Serving Veterans

With legislation from the US Congress, Urban Indian Organizations will be reimbursed for providing necessary services to AI/AN veterans living in urban centers.

Washington, DC (July 15, 2019)—The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has passed a resolution calling on the United States Congress to enact legislation requiring the Veterans Affairs Administration to reimburse Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) for health care provided to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) veterans.

At the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Mid-Year Conference in Reno, Nevada, NCUIH leadership presented in support of this important resolution.

On July 15, 2019, the NCAI resolution was reported as having passed.

“We are grateful for NCAI and their ongoing leadership in ensuring that AI/AN veterans in urban areas are receiving access to the critical care they deserve as veterans and AI/ANs. Now, it is up to Congress to move forward in introducing legislation so our veterans in urban areas are no longer left behind,” said NCUIH Executive Director Francys Crevier.

“Honoring the IHS-VA MOU is important for me as an American Indian and a veteran. We hope this helps more urban Indian veterans get the care they need and are owed by this government,” said Andy Joseph, Jr., NCAI Health Subcommittee Chair and US Army Veteran.

• View resolution.
• View NCUIH one-pager on VA-IHS Memorandum of Understanding.

Text of the Resolution

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, tribal nations have a unique government-to-government relationship with the United States; and

WHEREAS, AI/ANs serve in the military at higher rates than any other population; and

WHEREAS, the majority of the AI/AN population resides in urban areas today; and

WHEREAS, the term “Urban Indian” refers to an AI/AN person who is not living on a reservation, either permanently or temporarily – often historically because of the federal government’s forced relocation policy or economic or educational opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Congress has long recognized that the federal government’s obligation to provide health care for AI/AN people follows them off reservation; and

WHEREAS, in 1955, Congress created the Indian Health Service (IHS) in order to fulfill its trust responsibility to protect the interests of tribal nations through the provision of health care to AI/AN people; and

WHEREAS, the federal trust responsibility to provide health care to AI/ANs does not apply solely to the IHS because the obligation extends to all government agencies, including the VA; and

WHEREAS, addressing this gap in the IHS-VA MOU implementation will foster consistency, improve transparency, and provide support and services to eligible AI/AN veterans and their caregivers, as intended; and

WHEREAS, cultural competency is crucial to reducing AI/AN health disparities and improving access to health care, and AI/AN veterans often prefer to use Indian health care providers for reasons related to cultural competency, familial relations, wait times, or availability of Native-specific cultural and social services; and

WHEREAS, veterans are more likely to receive the care they have earned if they can choose where, how, and from whom they receive care.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) urges Congress to pass legislation that amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act at 25 U.S.C. §1645(c) to insert UIOs after IHS and Tribal Organizations and require VA to reimburse for services provided to AI/AN veterans at all of the IHS, Tribal, and urban (I/T/U) system, in order to protect the health and welfare of AI/AN veterans living in urban centers, thereby honoring their sacrifices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2019 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Nugget Casino Resort, June 24-27, 2019, with a quorum present.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Meredith Raimondi
Manager, Communications & Events
National Council of Urban Indian Health
202-544-0344
mraimondi@ncuih.org

House Interior Appropriations Bill Advances to the Full Committee with NCUIH Request of $81 Million for Urban Indian Health

Chair Betty McCollum’s draft bill that advanced to full committee includes a $30 million increase to the urban Indian health line item.

Washington, DC (May 16, 2019) — Yesterday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies approved by voice vote its fiscal year 2020 bill with the National Council of Urban Indian Health’s request of an increase for the urban Indian health line item to $81 million. The fiscal year 2020 bill draft from Chair Betty McCollum includes this increase of approximately $30 million for the urban Indian health line item from current funding levels and a $537 million increase to $6.3 billion for the Indian Health Service overall budget from fiscal year 2019.

Chair McCollum’s bill incorporates a solution of addressing the unmet needs of urban Indians by increasing the overall IHS budget without taking away any money from Tribes. This needed increase would allow the 42 Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) to hire more staff, expand vital services from behavioral health to substance misuse programs, and improve health outcomes for the growing demand of health care for urban Indians.

“NCUIH applauds the leadership of Chair Betty McCollum and her longstanding commitment to fulfilling the trust and treaty responsibilities of the US government with American Indians and Alaska Natives by investing in the Indian Health Service and urban Indian health programs. After years of stagnation and chronic underfunding to urban Indian health and the Indian Health Service (IHS) budget, NCUIH is hopeful that Chair McCollum’s bill requesting $6.3 billion for IHS, which is higher than the proposed budget by the President of $5.9 billion, and $81 million for urban Indian health will continue to move forward for consideration by the full House,” said NCUIH Executive Director Francys Crevier.

“This bill continues our subcommittee’s nonpartisan approach to addressing issues facing our Native American brothers and sisters. I am committed to honoring our trust and treaty obligations,” said Chair McCollum in her opening remarks during yesterday’s hearing.

“We strongly agree on Indian Country. It’s a testament to [Chair McCollum] and the rest of the members on this subcommittee that we continue our nonpartisan approach to programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives which constitute roughly a quarter of this bill. In this often hyper partisan environment, the work we do together on behalf of Indian Country is a welcome change.” said Ranking Member Dave Joyce during his opening remarks before the bill was approved.

Earlier this year, NCUIH President Maureen Rosette testified before the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee for this increase of the urban Indian line item to a total of at least $81 million. NCUIH also sent a letter to all Members of Congress with facilities in their districts to support higher funding for urban Indian health. 16 Members of Congress signed the final letter, led by Rep. Raul Grijalva, to the Interior Appropriations Committee, in support at least $81 million for the urban Indian health line item.

The increased funding would be critical to the 42 UIOs across the country. These UIOs an integral part of the Indian health system, which is comprised of the IHS, federally recognized Tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations (I/T/Us). UIOs provide culturally-competent healthcare to approximately 70% of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) living in urban settings. UIOs are on the front lines in assisting the federal government in providing for the health and well-being of urban Indians.

The full text of the bill is here. The bill next heads to the full Committee for markup.

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About the National Council of Urban Indian Health (https://ncuih.org)

The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is the only national organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally-competent health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban settings. NCUIH envisions a nation where comprehensive, culturally competent personal and public health services are available and accessible to AI/ANs living in urban communities throughout the United States.  NCUIH is the only organization that represents all 42 Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) federally funded by the Indian Health Service.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Meredith Raimondi

202-544-0344

mraimondi@ncuih.org

 

NCUIH’s Response to President Trump’s FY 2020 Budget Request

The National Council of Urban Indian Health applauds a proposed Indian Health Service increase but is concerned about proposed cuts potentially impacting Urban Indian Health Programs.

Washington, DC (March 12, 2019) — On Monday, March 11, 2019 President Trump released his request for the FY 2020 budget to Congress.  Under the request, the Indian Health Service (IHS) would receive $5.9 billion in FY 2020, a projected increase of $392 million above the President’s FY 2019 budget.  NCUIH, as part of the Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup (TBFWG), had encouraged the Administration to fund IHS at $7 billion with an urban Indian health line item of $32.7 million for FY 2020. The IHS proposed budget falls more than $1 billion short of TBFWG’s overall IHS recommendation. The President’s budget does not delineate its recommendation for the urban Indian health line item at this time.

“NCUIH appreciates the budget proposal’s recommended increase for IHS of $392 million above the FY 2019 budget. There are some concerns regarding proposed cuts to programs impacting urban Indian health, including Medicaid, which is a vital source of access to care for AI/ANs. We look forward to the opportunity to continue to work with the Administration to advance shared priorities between tribes and urban Indians to fully fund IHS”, said Executive Director Francys Crevier.

The proposed budget seeks to cut funding to several key programs vital to the Indian health system and UIHPs. Overall, the budget proposal would cut the Department of Health and Human Services funding by 12%.  In addition, the Administration proposes a $4.5 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a nearly $900 million cut to the National Cancer Institute and $769 million cuts to the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, which includes most of NIH’s HIV research. Also, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s budget would be cut by $1.27 billion overall, though its program centering on vaccines for children would increase by $586 million.

The budget would also eliminate Medicaid’s open-ended funding and, instead, proposes fixed grants to states or setting per-person caps, a major transformation that was recommended as part of efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.  This move would slash states’ budgets for the Medicaid program and limit access to health care for recipients, including AI/AN individuals. Congress intended that the Medicaid program supplement an underfunded Indian health system when it authorized Medicaid reimbursements– and a loss of Medicaid revenues would be detrimental to AI/AN health.

Congress will consider the President’s request as it begins to draft appropriations bills for FY 2020.  NCUIH will monitor updates and provide more information as it becomes available.

About the National Council of Urban Indian Health (https://ncuih.org)

The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is the premier National 501(c)(3) organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally-competent health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban settings. NCUIH envisions a nation where comprehensive, culturally competent personal and public health services are available and accessible to AI/ANs living in urban communities throughout the United States.  NCUIH represents 42 Urban Indian Health Programs (UIHPs) in the United States.

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You may review the recommendations of the Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup for FY 2020 here.

For additional questions, comments, or concerns, please contact NCUIH Director of Congressional Relations Carla Lott at cmlott@ncuih.org or Director of Federal Relations Julia Dreyer at jdreyer@ncuih.org.