Assigned to HEALTH                                                                                                                      FOR COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Forty-seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR H.C.M. 2002

full funding; Indian health services

Purpose

            Urges Congress to authorize and rebudget contract health care service funds appropriated to the Navajo Area Indian Health Service (NAIHS) into hospital and clinic budgeted funds to fully fund the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act (ISDEA) contract with the Navajo Health Foundation/Sage Memorial Hospital.

Background

            In 1975, Congress enacted P.L. 93-638, known as ISDEA.  This established an Indian self-determination policy to transition from federally-run programs and services for Indians to programs planned, conducted and administered by Indian tribes.  To carry out the provisions of ISDEA, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) may make grants to any Indian tribe or tribal organization for the development, construction, operation, provision, or maintenance of adequate health facilities or services.

            NAIHS is one of 12 regional administrative units of the Indian Health Service (IHS), an agency in DHHS.  There are 3,931 staff working at 6 NAIHS service units, an area office and under 3 ISDEA contracts.  This health care network includes 5 hospitals, 6 health centers, 15 health stations and 22 dental clinics.  NAIHS is responsible for providing health care services to more than 200,000 patients, covering parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.  According to NAIHS, its FY 2003 budget was $534.6 million, including $391.1 million from the federal government and the remaining $143.5 million generated from Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance revenues.  The Navajo Health Foundation /Sage Memorial Hospital is one of the hospitals under NAIHS.

            The three ISDEA contracts working in the NAIHS health care network are the Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation located in Tuba City, AZ, Winslow Indian Health Care Center, Inc., located in Winslow, AZ, and Utah Healthcare System located in Montezuma Creek, Utah.  Currently, the Navajo Health Foundation /Sage Memorial Hospital is not one of these contracted facilities.  H.C.M. 2002 urges Congress to authorize and rebudget funds to fully fund a ISDEA contract with the Navajo Health Foundation /Sage Memorial Hospital.

            There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Urges Congress to authorize and rebudget contract health care service funds appropriated to the NAIHS into hospital and clinic budgeted funds to fully fund the P.L. 93-638 contract with the Navajo Health Foundation/Sage Memorial Hospital.

2. Requests the Secretary of State to transmit a copy of the measure to the President of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and to each Arizona congressional member.

3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

NRA               2/13/06            DP       9-0-0

3rd Read         3/13/06                        45-15-0

Prepared by Senate Research

March 16, 2006

BKL/AH/ac