[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18576]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO AMEND THE INDIAN HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT 
                TO ENSURE CURRENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

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                         HON. STEPHANIE HERSETH

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 19, 2006

  Ms. HERSETH. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce legislation that 
will help to protect the health care provided to Native Americans by 
the Indian Health Service.
  Providing quality health care is one of the most important Federal 
responsibilities in Indian country. Through a network of service units 
scattered across the country and across South Dakota, the Indian Health 
Service is the primary, and often the only, access point to that care.
  For this reason, any service reduction at any service unit should be 
preceded by a thorough and thoughtful analysis of the impacts of the 
reduction proposal, an evaluation of alternative options, and 
meaningful tribal consultation at every step. Current law recognizes 
this and already requires that IHS conduct an impact study before 
implementing a reduction.
  Unfortunately, the law contains a critical oversight and specifies 
only that the study occur at least 1 year before any service reduction. 
It contains nothing to prevent an outdated study from being 
inappropriately used to justify a service reduction. This legislation 
would correct that mistake--mandating that the study occur 1 year, but 
nor more than 2 years, before the actual service reduction. This will 
ensure that any analysis will reflect current conditions, not ones that 
no longer exist.
  This is a small and reasonable change that is both consistent with 
the intent of existing statute and, I think, an important improvement. 
Though introduced as a stand alone measure today, I am hopeful that my 
amendment can later be added to Indian Health Care Improvement Act 
Amendments moving through this Congress.

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