In 2018, TSGAC, in coordination with NIHB, requested a hearing in the Appropriations Committee on the Indian Health Service Advance Appropriations. On September 13, 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report titled “Indian Health Service: Considerations Related to Providing Advance Appropriation Authority” (GAO-18-652), after the request of this Committee in House Report 114-632. This report identifies the challenges of the current IHS appropriations process has on the delivery of health to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and how advance appropriations can alleviate these challenges. Given the GAO’s findings, we request that the Appropriations Committee hold a hearing on advance appropriations for IHS before the end of 2018.
