Improving Access to Indian Health Services Act

Bill: 117-hr-1888
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36]
Introduced: 2021-03-12
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Medicaid

Minority health

State and local finance
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-12
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Improving Access to Indian Health Services Act</b></p> <p>This bill permanently extends certain Medicaid flexibilities relating to Indian health care providers.</p> <p>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 &amp; 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.</p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1888 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 12, 2021 Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Access to Indian Health Services Act . 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 .