Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act

Last action on Feb 4, 2026Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Summary

The Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act would modify notification requirements for American Indian and Alaska Native patients who receive emergency medical care from non-IHS providers. Currently, patients or their providers must notify the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program within 72 hours of receiving emergency treatment to request payment authorization. If enacted, this bill would extend that notification window to 15 days, giving patients and providers more time to submit claims for emergency services received outside IHS facilities.

The bill would not apply to elderly or disabled individuals, who would continue to have a 30-day notification requirement. The PRC program covers medical and dental care provided away from IHS or tribal health care facilities. By extending the notification deadline, the bill aims to reduce the risk that patients miss the current 72-hour window and lose coverage for emergency services. The bill is currently under consideration by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Feb 4, 2026

HearingSenateMeeting

Feb 4, 2026 · 19:15

Hearings to examine S.2098, to provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Southcentral Foundation located in Anchorage, Alaska, S.1055, to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to modify the notification requirement for emergency contract health services for certain beneficiaries, and S.699, to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability for payment of charges or costs associated with the provision of purchased/referred care services.

Committee

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

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Summary

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a legislative hearing on February 4, 2026, to examine three bills affecting Indian health services and tribal healthcare providers. S.2098, the Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act, would transfer approximately 3.4 acres of federal property in Anchorage from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Southcentral Foundation, an Alaska Native tribal health organization. This transfer would enable the foundation to secure financing, modernize facilities, and expand healthcare services to Alaska Native communities. S.1055, the Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act, would extend the reporting deadline for patients who seek emergency care outside the Indian Health Service system from 72 hours to 15 days, with elderly and disabled individuals retaining a 30-day deadline. S.699, the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, would require the Indian Health Service to reimburse patients for out-of-pocket costs for authorized referred care within 30 days of documentation submission and clarify that patients are not liable for charges associated with these services.\n\nThe hearing included testimony from federal officials and tribal representatives, including the Deputy Director for Management Operations of the Indian Health Service and representatives from the Colville Business Council and Southcentral Foundation. The bills address longstanding concerns about healthcare access and financial protections for American Indian and Alaska Native patients. A hearing does not guarantee that bills will advance; the committee must decide whether to move them forward for further consideration.

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Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act

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Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

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