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PRESS RELEASE: NCUIH Urges Senate Appropriations Committee to Match House Funding Request of $81 Million for Urban Indian Health

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

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

NCUIH Urges Senate Appropriations Committee to Match House Funding Request of $81 Million for Urban Indian Health

NCUIH sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee to request the same funding level as included in Chairwoman McCollum’s House bill for urban Indian health.

Washington, DC (June 10, 2019) — Today, the National Council of Urban Indian Health sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting to match the funding for the urban Indian health line item in the House Appropriations bill that recently passed out of the full Appropriations Committee. Last month, the Senate held their first hearing on the Interior budget with Secretary Bernhardt.

“After years of stagnation and chronic underfunding to the urban Indian health budget, NCUIH would like to see the Senate follow the House by also including $81 million for the urban Indian health item. NCUIH urges the Senate to follow the House bill’s example which incorporates a solution of addressing the unmet needs of urban Indians by increasing the overall IHS budget without taking away from the other line items,” said NCUIH Executive Director Francys Crevier.

Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) are the only part of the Indian health System (IHS/Tribal facilities/UIOs) that only receive funding from one source within the IHS budget – the urban Indian line item. The 41 UIOs in 22 states are an integral part of the Indian health system.  Currently, UIOs receive less than 1% of the IHS budget creating serious budget constraints while still providing culturally-competent and quality healthcare.

The House Interior Appropriations Bill authored by Chairwoman Betty McCollum includes $81 million for the urban Indian health line item, which is an approximately $30 million increase from current levels. The House Bill will next move to the floor for a vote.

As the Senate continues to develop their Interior Appropriations bill, NCUIH requests that they include the $81 million for urban Indian health. This needed increase would allow UIOs to hire more staff, expand vital services from behavioral health to substance misuse programs, and improve health outcomes for the growing demand for health care for urban Indians.

Budget Formulation Update: The National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup’s Recommendations Include Urban Indian Health Increase for the Indian Health Service Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

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May 6, 2019 Update

Last month Tribal sovereign leaders on the National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup (TBFWG) met to provide input regarding the Indian Health Service (IHS) budget request for FY 2021 (FY). After a thorough discussion of healthcare needs, their recommendations include $2.7 billion in program increases for the most critical health issues, including $50.9 Million for Urban Indian Health. The National Council of Urban Indian Health provided testimony concerning the status of the Urban Indian Health Programs (UIHPs). The TBFWG recommendations are an approximate 46% increase above the Fiscal Year 2019 funding, highlighting the crucial need for funding of the Indian healthcare system. Additionally, a recommendation was made to fund the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, increasing funding to $200 million per year, to include inflation. 105(l) leases were also a subject of importance, and while IHS does have an obligation towards fulfilling its 105(l) leases, adequate steps have been encouraged to protect other IHS programs for FY2021. The TBFWG understands that before significant steps are taken to address the healthcare concerns in Indian country, the fundamentals such as the I/T/U system, must have precedence.

April 30, 2019: The National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup’s Recommendations on the Indian Health Service Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

https://www.tribalselfgov.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/307871_NIHB-IHS-Budget-Book_WEB.pdf

March 14, 2019: NCUIH Recommendations for the FY 2021 Indian Health Service Budget

Hot Topics/Requests – National Budget Recommendations

  • Hot Topics/Requests 1: Increased funding for urban Indian line item to at least 2% of IHS or $116m
  • HotTopics/Requests 2: Respecting Tribal requests for direct funding but ensuring grants to continue for Title V UIOs only
  • Hot Topics/Requests 3: Implementation of unfunded IHCIA provisions
  • Hot Topics/Requests 4: Ensuring UIHPs are held harmless from unrelated budget shortfalls, including creating a new line item for §105(l) leases
  • Hot Topics/Requests 5: Funding initiatives should include funds for Title V UIHPs
    • Opioid funding
    • Behavioral health funding
  • Hot Topics/Requests 6: 100% FMAP for UIHPs
  • Hot Topics/Requests 7: Funds for UIHPs to modernize Health IT
  • Hot Topics/Requests 8: Suicide and substance use disorder among youth
    • -One urban youth residential treatment center

Priorities

  • Priority 1: Advanced appropriations
  • Priority 2: SDPI
  • Priority 3: Substance use and mental health
  • Priority 4: Opioids funding