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Indian Health Service funded at $4.1 billion

WASHINGTON, DC-July 24, 2013-The U.S. House of Representatives Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2014 Interior and Environment funding bill today on a party line vote of 7-4. The budget funds the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), which oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs and numerous programs for American Indian and Alaska Natives. Specifically, the bill funds the Indian Health Service (IHS) at $4.1 billion, which is a $227 million reduction from FY 2013 enacted level but level funded at FY 2013 post-sequestration levels.

The overall funding bill of $24.3 billion shows a cut of 19 percent from fiscal year 2013 enacted levels and a 14 percent cut from post-sequestration levels. Members of the subcommittee on both sides of the aisle expressed frustration at the low budget numbers that were allocated for the bill.

The National Indian Health Board Chairperson Cathy Abramson released the following statement regarding the funding legislation:

"We appreciate the House Appropriations Committee leadership and members for prioritizing funding for the Indian Health Service. It is a clear indication of the Committee's commitment to fund health care for this country's first peoples. Unfortunately, American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer disproportionately from a variety of health afflictions including diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis and cancer. Adequate federal funding for Tribal health care through IHS is not only a legal obligation but it helps to save lives," Abramson said.

"While NIHB understands that there are many difficult budget decisions to be made during these complicated fiscal times, these funding levels will mean widening health disparities and even worse health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native people. Tribes have prepaid for their health care through cession of millions of acres of land and should not lose additional lives due to perpetual gridlock in Washington on budget issues. We urge the Committee to restore funding for the Indian Health Service and hold the agency exempt from sequestration and future automatic cuts. Other health programs, such as Medicaid, Medicare and Veterans Health have been held harmless from sequestration, and the Indian Health Service should be included in this exemption. Funding for Tribal health care is not only a legal obligation, but a moral one as well," Abramson added.

Currently, the Indian Health Service is funded at only 56 percent of total need. American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer disproportionately from a variety of health afflictions including diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, and cancer. Additional reduced age-adjusted mortality rates include: homicide (55%), cerebrovascular (49%), alcohol-induced (44 %), and heart disease (32 %). Some areas see even greater disparities for AI/ANs compared to rates in the U.S. population; for example: tuberculosis rates are 8.5 times higher; chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, 4.2 times; diabetes, 2.9 times; unintentional injuries, 2.5 times, and homicide, 2.0 times.

You can read the FY 14 House Interior and Environment appropriations bill here: http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/bills-113hr-sc-ap-fy2014-interior-subcommitteedraft.pdf.

You can view a summary of the bill here: http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=343384