I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8956 

To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for the development 

and implementation of a centralized system to credential licensed health 

professionals who seek to provide health care services at any Indian 

Health Service unit. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 9, 2024 

Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota) 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 

A BILL 

To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for 

the development and implementation of a centralized system to credential licensed health professionals who seek 

to provide health care services at any Indian Health 

Service unit. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Uniform Credentials 

5 for IHS Providers Act of 2024’’. 


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•HR 8956 IH

1 SEC. 2. MEDICAL CREDENTIALING SYSTEM. 

2 Title I of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act 

3 (25 U.S.C. 1611 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

4 the following: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 125. MEDICAL CREDENTIALING SYSTEM. 

6 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 

7 ‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

8 TIMELINE.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 

9 enactment of the Uniform Credentials for IHS Pro10 viders Act of 2024, the Secretary, acting through 

11 the Service (referred to in this section as the ‘Sec12 retary’), in accordance with subsection (b), shall de13 velop and implement a Service-wide centralized 

14 credentialing system (referred to in this section as 

15 the ‘credentialing system’) to credential licensed 

16 health professionals who seek to provide health care 

17 services at any Service unit. 

18 ‘‘(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—In implementing the 

19 credentialing system, the Secretary— 

20 ‘‘(A) shall not require re-credentialing of 

21 licensed health professionals who were 

22 credentialed using existing Service policy prior 

23 to the date of enactment of the Uniform Cre24 dentials for IHS Providers Act of 2024; and 

25 ‘‘(B) shall— 


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•HR 8956 IH

1 ‘‘(i) use the credentialing system 

2 for— 

3 ‘‘(I) all applications for 

4 credentialing or re-credentialing of li5 censed health professionals submitted 

6 on or after the date of enactment of 

7 the Uniform Credentials for IHS Pro8 viders Act of 2024; and 

9 ‘‘(II) the migration into the 

10 credentialing system of credentials 

11 data that existed prior to implementa12 tion of the credentialing system; and 

13 ‘‘(ii) maintain the established timeline 

14 for re-credentialing of licensed health pro15 fessionals who were credentialed prior to 

16 implementation of the credentialing sys17 tem, as defined by Service policy. 

18 ‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In developing the 

20 credentialing system under subsection (a), the Sec21 retary shall ensure that— 

22 ‘‘(A) credentialing procedures shall be uni23 form throughout the Service; and 

24 ‘‘(B) with respect to each licensed health 

25 professional who successfully completes the 


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•HR 8956 IH

1 credentialing procedures of the credentialing 

2 system, the Secretary may authorize the li3 censed health professional to provide health 

4 care services at any Service unit. 

5 ‘‘(2) EXEMPTION.—The requirements described 

6 in paragraph (1) shall not apply to licensed health 

7 professionals who were credentialed using existing 

8 Service policy prior to the date of enactment of the 

9 Uniform Credentials for IHS Providers Act of 2024 

10 until the date on which those licensed health profes11 sionals are required to be re-credentialed in accord12 ance with the credentialing system developed and 

13 implemented under subsection (a). 

14 ‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the 

15 credentialing system under subsection (a), the Secretary— 

16 ‘‘(1) shall consult with Indian tribes; and 

17 ‘‘(2) may consult with— 

18 ‘‘(A) any public or private association of 

19 medical providers; 

20 ‘‘(B) any government agency; or 

21 ‘‘(C) any other relevant expert, as deter22 mined by the Secretary. 

23 ‘‘(d) APPLICATION.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 

25 licensed health care professional may not provide 


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•HR 8956 IH

1 health care services at any Service unit, unless the 

2 licensed health care professional successfully com3 pletes the credentialing procedures of the 

4 credentialing system developed and implemented 

5 under subsection (a). 

6 ‘‘(2) EXEMPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not 

7 apply to licensed health professionals who were 

8 credentialed using existing Service policy prior to the 

9 date of enactment of the Uniform Credentials for 

10 IHS Providers Act of 2024 until the date on which 

11 those licensed health professionals are required to be 

12 re-credentialed in accordance with the credentialing 

13 system developed and implemented under subsection 

14 (a). 

15 ‘‘(e) NONDUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent that prior to 

17 the deadline described in subsection (a)(1), the Serv18 ice has begun implementing or has completed imple19 mentation of a medical credentialing system that 

20 otherwise meets the requirements of this section, the 

21 Service shall not be required to establish a new 

22 credentialing system under this section. 

23 ‘‘(2) AUTHORITY.—The Service may expand or 

24 enhance an existing credentialing system to meet the 

25 requirements of this section. 


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1 ‘‘(3) REVIEW.— 

2 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently 

3 than once every 5 years, the Service shall— 

4 ‘‘(i) undertake a formal review of the 

5 credentialing system in effect on the date 

6 of the review; and 

7 ‘‘(ii) if necessary, take action to bring 

8 the credentialing system into compliance 

9 with the requirements of this section. 

10 ‘‘(B) CONSULTATION.—Each formal review 

11 conducted under subparagraph (A) shall be sub12 ject to the consultation requirements under sub13 section (c). 

14 ‘‘(f) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section— 

15 ‘‘(1) negatively impacts the right of an Indian 

16 tribe to enter into a compact or contract under the 

17 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 

18 Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); or 

19 ‘‘(2) applies to such a compact or contract un20 less expressly agreed to by the Indian tribe.’’. 

Æ 


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