In This Issue

House Continues Work on Appropriations Measures; Senate Likely to Consider Nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell for HHS Secretary

NIHB Announces Upcoming Affordable Care Act Training Sessions

FY 2016 Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup Releases Final Recommendations for FY 2016

This week, the House will continue to work on FY 2015 appropriations measures by considering the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations measure (H.R. 4660).  Congressional leaders continue to voice support for finalizing Appropriations by the end of the fiscal year - September 30, 2014, however with the November elections looming, many are thinking we might be headed for another continuing resolution to keep the government funded past September 30.  Please stay tuned to NIHB for more information on the FY 2015 budget.

This week, Senate is in recess.  Next week, the full Senate is likely to consider the nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  The Senate Finance Committee approved her nomination by a vote of 21 to 3 last Wednesday. The current HHS Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, announced she would step down last month.  Mathews Burwell is currently the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers new opportunities for Indian Country because it allows American Indians and Alaska Natives increased access to those health services not provided onsite at the IHS facility, and will increase the continuity of care.  The ACA also reinforces the government-to-government relationship that Tribes have with the Federal Government, as it permanently reauthorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) which is a vital component of our health care delivery system.

This summer NIHB will be holding several training sessions across Indian Country including locations in Albuquerque, NM; Phoenix Area; Denver, CO; Navajo Nation; Rapid City, SD; and Black River Falls, WI.  Topics in the training include:

• Overview of Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Health Insurance Marketplace
• Medicaid Expansion and CHIP
• Exemption Waivers
• Large Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions of the ACA
• New Opportunities for Direct Service Tribes with 638 and Purchased/Referred Care
• Implications for Tribal Communities and individuals

To view the full list of upcoming Training Sessions, click here.  For more information, or to request an ACA training in your area, please contact Dawn Coley at [email protected] or (202) 507-4077.

You can also view information about what the ACA means for American Indians and Alaska Natives at http://tribalhealthcare.org/

The Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup released their final FY 2016 Budget Recommendation for the Indian Health Service for FY 2016 last week. You can read the full recommendation here.

The National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup recommends the following budget for FY 2016:

Tribal Total Needs Based Request: $28.7 Billion over 12 Years

FY 2016 Tribal Budget Recommendation: $5.4 Billion

Highlights of the FY 2016 Budget Recommendations:

- Increase FY 2016 IHS Budget by 17.58% in FY 2016:

• $166.1 million for full funding of current services

• $199.7 million for binding fiscal obligations

• $449.0 million for program expansion increases

- Restore Cuts/Shortfalls in FY2013-15 resulting from sequestration, inadequate increases to cover Congressionally mandated budget categories, and no provision for inflation for Continuing Services & Binding Obligations

- Advocate that Tribes and Tribal programs be permanently exempted from sequestration

- Provide an additional $300 million to implement the provisions authorized in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA)