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 Re-
sources, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for 
the development and implementation of a centralized sys-
tem to credential licensed health professionals who seek 
to provide health care services at any Indian Health 
Service unit. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Uniform Credentials 
for IHS Providers Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. MEDICAL CREDENTIALING SYSTEM. 
Title I of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act 
(25 U.S.C. 1611 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 125. MEDICAL CREDENTIALING SYSTEM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT
AND
IMPLEMENTATION 
TIMELINE.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the Uniform Credentials for IHS Pro-
viders Act of 2024, the Secretary, acting through 
the Service (referred to in this section as the ‘Sec-
retary’), in accordance with subsection (b), shall de-
velop and implement a Service-wide centralized 
credentialing system (referred to in this section as 
the ‘credentialing system’) to credential licensed 
health professionals who seek to provide health care 
services at any Service unit. 
‘‘(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—In implementing the 
credentialing system, the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) shall not require re-credentialing of 
licensed 
health 
professionals 
who 
were 
credentialed using existing Service policy prior 
to the date of enactment of the Uniform Cre-
dentials for IHS Providers Act of 2024; and 
‘‘(B) shall— 
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‘‘(i) use the credentialing system 
for— 
‘‘(I) 
all 
applications 
for 
credentialing or re-credentialing of li-
censed health professionals submitted 
on or after the date of enactment of 
the Uniform Credentials for IHS Pro-
viders Act of 2024; and 
‘‘(II) the migration into the 
credentialing system of credentials 
data that existed prior to implementa-
tion of the credentialing system; and 
‘‘(ii) maintain the established timeline 
for re-credentialing of licensed health pro-
fessionals who were credentialed prior to 
implementation of the credentialing sys-
tem, as defined by Service policy. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—In 
developing 
the 
credentialing system under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall ensure that— 
‘‘(A) credentialing procedures shall be uni-
form throughout the Service; and 
‘‘(B) with respect to each licensed health 
professional who successfully completes the 
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credentialing procedures of the credentialing 
system, the Secretary may authorize the li-
censed health professional to provide health 
care services at any Service unit. 
‘‘(2) EXEMPTION.—The requirements described 
in paragraph (1) shall not apply to licensed health 
professionals who were credentialed using existing 
Service policy prior to the date of enactment of the 
Uniform Credentials for IHS Providers Act of 2024 
until the date on which those licensed health profes-
sionals are required to be re-credentialed in accord-
ance with the credentialing system developed and 
implemented under subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) 
CONSULTATION.—In 
developing 
the 
credentialing system under subsection (a), the Secretary— 
‘‘(1) shall consult with Indian tribes; and 
‘‘(2) may consult with— 
‘‘(A) any public or private association of 
medical providers; 
‘‘(B) any government agency; or 
‘‘(C) any other relevant expert, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 
licensed health care professional may not provide 
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health care services at any Service unit, unless the 
licensed health care professional successfully com-
pletes 
the 
credentialing 
procedures 
of 
the 
credentialing system developed and implemented 
under subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) EXEMPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not 
apply to licensed health professionals who were 
credentialed using existing Service policy prior to the 
date of enactment of the Uniform Credentials for 
IHS Providers Act of 2024 until the date on which 
those licensed health professionals are required to be 
re-credentialed in accordance with the credentialing 
system developed and implemented under subsection 
(a). 
‘‘(e) NONDUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To the extent that prior to 
the deadline described in subsection (a)(1), the Serv-
ice has begun implementing or has completed imple-
mentation of a medical credentialing system that 
otherwise meets the requirements of this section, the 
Service shall not be required to establish a new 
credentialing system under this section. 
‘‘(2) AUTHORITY.—The Service may expand or 
enhance an existing credentialing system to meet the 
requirements of this section. 
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‘‘(3) REVIEW.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not less frequently 
than once every 5 years, the Service shall— 
‘‘(i) undertake a formal review of the 
credentialing system in effect on the date 
of the review; and 
‘‘(ii) if necessary, take action to bring 
the credentialing system into compliance 
with the requirements of this section. 
‘‘(B) CONSULTATION.—Each formal review 
conducted under subparagraph (A) shall be sub-
ject to the consultation requirements under sub-
section (c). 
‘‘(f) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section— 
‘‘(1) negatively impacts the right of an Indian 
tribe to enter into a compact or contract under the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); or 
‘‘(2) applies to such a compact or contract un-
less expressly agreed to by the Indian tribe.’’. 
Æ 
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