Improving Access to Indian Health Services Act
Bill: H.R.1888 | Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul (D-CA)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Improving Access to Indian Health Services Act
This bill permanently extends certain Medicaid flexibilities relating to Indian health care providers.
Specifically, the bill permanently expands coverage to include clinical services that are furnished outside of a clinic by an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility, a tribe or tribal organization, or an Urban Indian Organization (UIO). Current guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services allows IHS and tribal facilities to receive payment for clinical services provided outside of clinics through October 31, 2021; facilities are expected to work with their state Medicaid programs to transition to other, more permanent payment options for these services.
The bill also permanently establishes a 100% federal matching rate, also known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), for UIO services. Current law provides a 100% FMAP for UIO services during the eight fiscal quarters after March 11, 2021.

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require a Federal 
  medical assistance percentage of 100 percent for Indian health care 
                   providers, 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 ``Improving Access to Indian Health 
Services Act''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF FULL FEDERAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PERCENTAGE TO 
              INDIAN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

    Section 1905 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (9) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(9) clinic services furnished by or under the direction 
        of a physician, without regard to whether the clinic itself is 
        administered by a physician, including--
                    ``(A) such services furnished outside the clinic by 
                clinic personnel to an eligible individual who does not 
                reside in a permanent dwelling or does not have a fixed 
                home or mailing address; and
                    ``(B) such services furnished outside the clinic by 
                any Indian Health Service facility, a health program or 
                facility operated by a tribe or tribal organization 
                under the Indian Self-Determination Act (Public Law 93-
                638), or an urban Indian organization receiving funds 
                under title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement 
                Act;''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by inserting after ``Papa Ola Lokahi 
        under section 8 of such Act'' the following: ``; the Federal 
        medical assistance percentage shall also be 100 per centum with 
        respect to amounts expended as medical assistance for services 
        which are received by an Indian Health Service facility, a 
        health program or facility operated by a tribe or tribal 
        organization under the Indian Self-Determination Act (Public 
        Law 93-638), or an urban Indian organization receiving funds 
        under title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act''.
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