The Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs convened a legislative hearing today to discuss two bills aimed at improving tribal health care services and addressing discrepancies in means-tested benefits for Alaska Natives. Subcommittee Chair Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) emphasized the significance of these bills, stating, "While both of today’s bills are technical and provide seemingly small fixes to longstanding programs, they will enable changes that will provide great value to individuals that utilize these programs. Often, Congress can be perceived as only focusing on the 'big ticket' or national items, but we all know that these local issues genuinely have a major impact, particularly on Native individual’s lives."
The first bill under consideration is H.R. 7516, the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.). This bill aims to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to ensure that the Indian Health Service is responsible for payments related to purchased/referred care services. Additionally, the bill seeks to establish procedures for reimbursing patients who have paid out-of-pocket for authorized purchased/referred care services, thereby easing the financial burden on tribal members.
The second bill, H.R. 2687, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (R-Alaska), focuses on addressing a discrepancy in means-tested benefits for Alaska Natives. The bill proposes to exclude distributions or benefits from settlement trusts for aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives when assessing eligibility for federal means-tested benefits, aligning with the current definitions of the Social Security Act.
These legislative initiatives aim to bring about tangible improvements in tribal health care services and ensure fair treatment in accessing federal means-tested benefits for Alaska Natives. The Subcommittee's focus on these issues underscores the importance of addressing local challenges that have a significant impact on the lives of Native individuals.
