[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 77 (Thursday, May 8, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H1925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    MEDICAL DEBTS OF TRIBAL MEMBERS

  (Ms. SCHRIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to encourage the House to 
take up and pass my bill, the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement 
Act.
  This bill works to correct an all-too-common occurrence, which is 
that Tribal members are referred to collection agencies because the 
Indian Health Service failed to pay its bills.
  Sometimes Tribal members utilizing the Indian Health Service will be 
referred to an outside specialist or another provider, and this is what 
is known as purchased and referred care. IHS is still responsible for 
the payment of this care but all too often fails to follow through on 
that obligation. These unpaid bills often lead to Tribal members paying 
those themselves and being saddled with medical debt that they should 
never have incurred in the first place.
  Chairman Jarred Erickson and members of the Colville Tribe came and 
visited my office. We talked about this, and they brought it to my 
attention. Colville Tribal members have been hounded by debt collection 
agencies for bills that the Indian Health Service failed to pay.
  This bill would ensure that this never happens again and that Tribal 
members will not be burdened with IHS' debts or saddled with medical 
debt. I thank Chairman Erickson and the Colville Tribe for their 
advocacy, and I encourage the House to pass this bill.

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