Legislative Priorities and Talking Points

• Priorities
• Talking Points

Preserve the Medicaid Benefit

• 100% FMAP for UIHPs
• Support the Urban Indian Parity Act, 2019 (Senator Udall/Rep. Lujan)
• Exemption for American Indians and Alaskan Natives
• Mandatory work requirements are inconsistent with trust responsibility

Funding for IHS

• Indian Programs Advanced Appropriations Act S.229
• Urban line item – Increase line item to $82-$118m (2% of IHS budget)
• Exemption from shutdowns, sequestration and hiring freezes

Funding for the Community Health Centers and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI)

• Bipartisan extension introduced to renew SDPI and CHC through 2024
• Support “Community and Public Health Programs Extension Act”
• Support any individual SDPI bills

Indian Health Care Improvement Act

• Protect from any attempts to repeal or reform the Affordable Care Act
• Retain the Indian specific provisions in ACA

Federal Torts Claims Act

• Extend FTCA to UIHPs to provide malpractice liability protection to employees at no cost – IHS and Tribal facilities already receive this

Veterans Administration

• IHS and VA MOU included UIHPs, VA won’t work with urban Indian Organizations
• Help us work with the VA by making VA reimburse Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs)

Behavioral Health

• Preserve behavioral health initiatives for Urban Indian Organizations

More Information

• Health Care Reform
• Federal Medical Assistance Percentage / Medicaid
• Federal Tort Claims Act
• Care of American Indian Alaska Native Veterans
• Indian Health Service
• Definition of Indian
• Special Diabetes Program for Indians
• Preservation of Indian Health Care Improvement Act