The House of Representatives began Committee action on the $3.5 Trillion Budget Reconciliation legislation with the Natural Resources Committee reporting a $25.6 Billion measure including $2 Billion for Indian health care facility construction. Other House Committees are expected to begin the consideration of their respective legislation this week. Other significant Indian health care-related provisions totaling $3.458 Billion in the Natural Resources legislation include $140 Million for electronic health records and health IT, $150 Million for equipment, $610 Million for maintenance and improvement, $278 Million for staff quarters construction, $170 Million for environmental health and facility support, and $60 Million for small ambulatory construction.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) has yet to release its $20.5 Billion portion of the Budget Reconciliation legislation. This portion would provide for both Indian and Native Hawaiians programs including health care. It is expected to be incorporated into the larger Senate measure for consideration shortly after Senators return from recess on September 15. The Indian health care facility provisions offered by the Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will have to be reconciled in some fashion in the final Budget Reconciliation legislation.

According to the 2016 IHS and Tribal Health Care Facilities Needs Assessment Report to Congress and testimony by Randy Grinnell, IHS Deputy Director of Management Operations, the total health care facilities needs are $14.542 Billion (in 2016 figures) and up to approximately $22 Billion (in 2021 figures) – far exceeding the entire SCIA allocation by $1.5 Billion.  The SCIA allocation is only 0.5 percent% of the entire $3.5 Trillion Budget Reconciliation package.

NIHB has been busy working to secure Indian health funding in the Budget Reconciliation package. The NIHB joined the Interorganizational letter to Congressional leadership and as well as advocating to the SCIA leadership about the important and significant needs for Indian health care. The NIHB also remains active in reaching out to Indian Country through the Tribal Town Hall and other tribal advocacy efforts.

August 25^th, the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that access to health care was a treaty right that had been conferred to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe through the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. In making their decision, the Court pointed to the plain language of the treaty and the past actions taken by the federal government to carry it out, including statutes such as the Snyder Act and Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). They found that, when combined, these actions had created an expectation that these services would be provided. Read the opinion here.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced that financial assistance provided by Tribal governments to assist citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic would not be counted as income for the purposes of determining eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. The SSI program is an important financial resource for low-income people who are disabled, blind, or over the age of 65. However, eligibility is governed by strict income and asset restrictions for beneficiaries. According to the Dear Tribal Leader Letter, Tribal members do not need to take an additional steps if they think that their income has been erroneously counted and the SSA will contact Tribal members if they need additional information.

On August 30, the Centers for Medicare, and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). Dr. Ellen Mantz will be the new Deputy Administrator who will take charge of affordable access to health coverage. CMS also announced its first ever Chief Dental Officer in the Office of Administration, Dr. Natalia Chalmers. Chalmers will aid to the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to care for the whole person initiative. Finally, CMS also announced a new Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Program Integrity (CPI), Dara Corrigan. Corrigan will aid in the protection of Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP from fraud, waste, and abuse. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will hold a Tribal Telehealth Information Listening Session on September 9^th from 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET. Subject matter experts from across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Indian Health Service (IHS) will provide an overview of their broadband activities and share resources for Tribes. They will also be joined by presenters from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Commerce (DOC). The agenda is below and you can register for the event here.

In an effort to find lasting solutions to the public safety challenges Tribal communities encounter and to protect them from violence, abuse, and exploitation, a national symposium on missing or murdered indigenous persons (MMIP) related issues for federal, state, Tribal and local stakeholders is being held September 14-16, 2021. This MMIP training is via webinar and will address important topics like data collection, victim advocacy, creating a community strategy for addressing missing persons, and working collaboratively across jurisdictions. The webinar is free. Learn more here. 

Join the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Office of Regional Operations (ORO) in Seattle in collaboration with Health and Human Services (HHS) operating divisions and Tribal and Urban Indian Organizations in Region 10 for the 2021 American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) multidisciplinary health summit. The summit will take place September 21-23, 2021. The summit will focus on promising practices and innovative approaches to improve AI/AN health and address disparities in the midst of COVID-19. Read more.  

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is excited to invite you to its annual National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC)! The theme of this year's conference is, "The Future of Native Health in Our Changing World!"

The Early Bird Registration Rate for the NTHC ends September 3rd! Starting September 4th, registration rates for attendees will increase by $70 to $420. Youth rates will remain the same price of $125.

Join NIHB for 5-days of action-packed plenary sessions, informative workshops from experts across Indian Country, and consultation and listening sessions with federal agencies. Make sure to stick around for the last day of the conference for sessions dedicated to technology in American Indian and Alaska Native health systems!