Spending bill secures funds for Native American health care
Access to health care for Native Americans across the U.S. will be bolstered with funding included in a government spending bill approved by Congress
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Published - Dec 23, 2022, 04:31 PM ET
Last Updated - Jun 23, 2023, 04:44 AM EDT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Access to health care for Native Americans and Alaska Natives will be bolstered with funding included in a massive government spending bill awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature.
A coalition of lawmakers from Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico, California and elsewhere fought to include advanced appropriations for the Indian Health Service in the bill, marking a first for the chronically underfunded agency as a way to ensure that services continue in case of potential funding disruptions.
With the legislation, IHS joins other federal health care programs that receive advance funding, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Health Administration.
