Daines, GOP colleagues introduce bill to improve Indian Health Service

Consistent shortcomings, unmet staffing needs, lack of oversight, and long-standing deficiencies at the Indian Health Service (IHS) prompted U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and several of his Republican colleagues to offer remedial legislation. 

“For too long the IHS has failed to provide Montanans with reliable, quality care,” Sen. Daines said on Monday. “It’s time we enact serious reform and hold IHS accountable in order for tribal leaders, Montana families, and care providers to have the tools they need to make the best health decisions.”

Sen. Daines on Oct. 25 signed on as one of four GOP original cosponsors of the Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act of 2023, S. 3130, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) are also cosponsors.

If enacted, S. 3130 would improve transparency, oversight, and accountability by imposing a robust tribal culture and history competency requirement for employees, and require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue best practices for area offices and governing boards, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Daines’ staff.

Additionally, S. 3130 would establish a compliance assistance program for underperforming facilities, provide assistance to facilities in adopting better quality and performance metrics, and require IHS to develop standards to measure the timeliness of care, the summary says.

Among several other provisions, S. 3130 also would create an Office of Patient Advocacy to assist patients in resolving facility complaints and granting patients the right to a medical chaperone, bolster whistleblower protections, and require HHS to provide annual reports on spending across IHS facilities.

The bill also would address staff recruitment and retention shortfalls by requiring IHS to establish a competitive pay system for IHS healthcare personnel based on VA health care professional pay scales, and expand eligibility for the Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program, states the summary.