November 17, 2022

In This Week's Washington Report

Action Item: NIHB Post-Election Analysis Webinar

Action Item: New Deadline - Sign on to Letters Supporting Indian Health Service Advance Appropriations

Action Item: NIHB Letter on Cherokee Nation Delegate-Designee Kim Teehee

Action Item: Upcoming Marketplace and Medicare Open Enrollment

News From Capitol Hill

2022 Midterm Elections and the Implications for Indian Health

NIHB Post-Election Analysis Webinar

Join National Indian Health Board (NIHB) for our virtual webinar on the 2022 Midterm elections. This webinar will provide post-election analysis of the incoming Congress and the potential implications for Indian health funding and policy for the next two years.

Visit NIHB's website to learn more about NIHB's advocacy efforts in Congress on behalf of all Tribal Governments and American Indians/Alaska Natives.

Darren Benjamin, Interim Congressional Relations Director, National Indian Health Board (NIHB)



Darren Benjamin currently serves as the Interim Congressional Relations Director for the National Indian Health Board (NIHB). Mr. Benjamin previously spent 13 years on the staff of the House Appropriations Committee, where he oversaw the budgets of the Indian Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and a portfolio of other Tribal, environmental, and natural resource agencies. Mr. Benjamin received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and a Master’s degree from Michigan State University. He was born and raised in Illinois.

DEADLINE EXTENSION: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022

Sign on to Letters Supporting Indian Health Service Advance Appropriations

The National Indian Health Board and a coalition of Tribes, Tribal organizations, and other partners are working with Congress and the Administration to include fiscal year (FY) 2024 advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (IHS) in any final agreement on the FY 2023 appropriation bills.

An advance appropriation is a commitment by Congress to provide money in a future year. For example, if the final FY 2023 appropriation bill for the IHS includes an advance appropriation for FY 2024, then IHS would receive its FY 2024 budget at the start of the fiscal year regardless of any looming government shutdown or temporary, “stopgap” funding measure.

One of the federal government’s primary regulators, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), reported budgetary uncertainty hurts the ability to recruit and retain quality doctors and nurses and adds additional administrative costs that could otherwise be used for patient care. The longest government shutdown in history occurred only four years ago. Tribal healthcare programs were forced to reduce their hours, days, or types of services, faced staff resignations, and had other impacts on patient care.

It shouldn’t be this way. The IHS is the only major federal healthcare program exposed to government shutdowns and temporary, “stopgap” funding. Veterans’ healthcare is already protected by advance appropriations. Medicare and Medicaid are already protected by mandatory funding. Yet, for some reason, the federal government continues to tolerate the healthcare hardships for Tribes. This tolerance is inequitable, it is discriminatory, and it needs to stop now.

The fix is simple but motivating Congress to act is not. No other issue under consideration in the remainder of the 117th Congress has as much of a direct benefit on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) lives, has as much bipartisan support, and is as close to enactment as advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service. 

To succeed, it requires a coordinated effort from Tribes, advocacy organizations, the public, members of Congress, and the White House. Please join NIHB in sending Tribal coalition letters to Congressional Leadership (click to view) and the White House (click to view).

Click HERE to sign onto the letters. The extended deadline to sign up is Tuesday, November 22, 2022. 

For more information on this topic, please visit NIHB’s Advance Appropriations webpage or contact Darren Benjamin, Interim Director of Congressional Relations, at dbenjamin@nihb.org 

Other News and Events

NIHB Letter on Cherokee Nation Delegate-Designee Kim Teehee

On Thursday November 17, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) sent a letter of support to the House Speaker Pelosi. Standing with the Cherokee Nation, NIHB supports Designee-Delegate Ms. Kim Teehee to be seated in the House of Representatives during the 117th Congress.

The 1738 Treaty of New Hopewell and the 1835 Treaty of New Echota both guarantee the right for Cherokee Nation to send a Tribal representative to the U.S House of Representatives. The Cherokee Nation exchanged millions of acres of land for the agreements and promises in the treaties delegated between the Cherokee Nation and the United States. It is now time for the United States to honor the trust responsibility and treaty obligations.

The promise remains unfulfilled and remains as binding as it was over 200 years ago.

To view the letter, click here. For more information, visit Cherokee Nation's website here.

Upcoming Marketplace and Medicare Open Enrollment

Marketplace open Enrollment began Tuesday, November 1, 2022; however, you must enroll in a Marketplace plan by Thursday, December 15, 2022, for coverage that starts January 1, 2023. If you are ineligible for health care insurance through Medicaid, the Marketplace may be able to offer you an alternative form of health care coverage.

If you or someone you know has been thinking about signing up for health insurance, now is the time to sign up through the Marketplace. Because the public health emergency is still in effect, it is more important now than ever to have health insurance. American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) continue to lead the country in preventative efforts against COVID-19, however other diseases and illnesses, such as the common flu, can still become severe. With the cold winter months coming and flu season just around the corner, it is important to take preventative measures and enroll in health insurance for yourself and your loved ones. To see if you are eligible for a plan through the Marketplace, please click here. 

Medicare open enrollment will begin on October 15, 2022, and will continue until December 7, 2022. If you or someone you know over the age of 65 or someone who has a disability is interested in health insurance, Medicare might be right for you. Now more than ever it is important to keep our elders and vulnerable community members safe from disease and illness. Enrolling in a health care plan through Medicare can not only provide access to critical resources needed to prevent sickness, but it can also help families save money when accessing routine services. To see if you are eligible for Medicare, please click here.