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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7516 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>

                                                 Union Calendar No. 748
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7516

                      [Report No. 118-916, Part I]

 To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability 
for payment of charges or costs associated with provision of purchased/
            referred care services, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2024

Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself, Ms. Schrier, Mrs. Rodgers of 
    Washington, Ms. Leger Fernandez, and Mr. Zinke) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

                           December 18, 2024

 Additional sponsors: Mr. Newhouse, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Davis of 
 North Carolina, Mr. Cole, Ms. Stansbury, Mrs. Peltola, and Mr. Neguse

                           December 18, 2024

   Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

                           December 18, 2024

Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee 
 of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 
                                1, 2024]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability 
for payment of charges or costs associated with provision of purchased/
            referred care services, and for other purposes.

 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Purchased and Referred Care 
Improvement Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. CHANGES TO LIABILITY FOR PAYMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 222 of the Indian Health Care Improvement 
Act (25 U.S.C. 1621u) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``A patient'' and inserting 
                ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any 
                agreement, form, or other written or electronic 
                document signed by a patient, a patient''; and
                    (B) by striking ``contract health care'' and 
                inserting ``purchased/referred care'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``contract care'' each place it 
                appears and inserting ``purchased/referred care'';
                    (B) by striking ``contract health care'' and 
                inserting ``purchased/referred care'';
                    (C) by inserting ``, notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law or any agreement, form, or other 
                written or electronic document signed by a patient,'' 
                after ``by the Service that''; and
                    (D) by inserting ``to any provider, debt collector, 
                or any other person'' after ``is not liable'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``, the debt collector, 
        or any other person, as applicable'' after ``the provider''; 
        and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Reimbursement.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this subsection and in consultation with 
        Indian Tribes, the Secretary shall establish and implement 
        procedures to allow a patient that paid out-of-pocket for 
        purchased/referred care services authorized by the Service 
        under this Act to be reimbursed by the Service for that payment 
        not later than 30 days after the patient submits documentation 
        to the Service pursuant to paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Submitting documentation.--The Secretary shall accept 
        documentation from a patient seeking reimbursement under 
        paragraph (1) that was submitted--
                    ``(A) electronically; or
                    ``(B) in-person at a Service facility.
            ``(3) Effect.--The preceding provisions of this subsection 
        shall not apply to purchased/referred care service furnished 
        under a purchased/referred care services program operated by an 
        Indian Tribe under an Indian Self-Determination and Education 
        Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) compact or contract 
        unless expressly agreed to by the Indian Tribe.
    ``(e) Updating Authorities.--Not later than 180 days of the 
enactment of this subsection and in consultation with Indian Tribes, 
the Secretary shall update applicable provisions of and exhibits to the 
Indian Health Manual, contracts with providers, and other relevant 
documents and administrative authorities to incorporate the provisions 
of this section.''.
    (b) Application.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
to purchased/referred care services authorized by the Indian Health 
Service furnished on, before, or after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 4(5) of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603) is amended by striking the paragraph 
designation and heading and all that follows through ``means'' and 
inserting the following:
            ``(5) Purchased/referred care.--The term `purchased/
        referred care' means''.
    (b) Technical Amendments.--The Indian Health Care Improvement Act 
(25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended by striking ``contract health 
service'' each place it appears (regardless of casing and typeface and 
including in the headings) and inserting ``purchased/referred care'' 
(with appropriate casing and typeface).
    (c) Updating Authorities.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services is directed to ensure that the Indian Health Manual and all 
other relevant rules, guidance, manuals, and other materials are 
revised such that ``contract health service'', each place it appears 
(regardless of casing and typeface and including in the headings) is 
revised to read ``purchased/referred care'' (with appropriate casing 
and typeface).
                                                 Union Calendar No. 748

118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 7516

                      [Report No. 118-916, Part I]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability 
for payment of charges or costs associated with provision of purchased/
            referred care services, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           December 18, 2024

   Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment

                           December 18, 2024

Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the Committee 
 of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
```