Rounds calls for independent audit of troubled Indian Health Service

Legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) calls for an independent audit of the Indian Health Service (IHS) in light of what he called inadequate care delivered at IHS facilities across the country.

The bill would require the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to use existing funds to hire an outside auditor to review the current state of IHS.

IHS serves 2.2 million Native Americans across 12 regions in the United States. In fiscal year 2016, IHS received $4.8 billion in appropriated funds and reported $1.4 billion in third party collections.

“The inadequate care being delivered at IHS facilities across the country has reached crisis level,” Rounds said. “It is a serious issue that requires tangible solutions. An outside audit of the failing agency — which has never been done before despite its ongoing problems — will help us better understand where the problems lie so that the federal government, working in close collaboration with the tribes, can take steps forward to fix them.”

“Only after identifying specific areas of concerns through the audit can we make the necessary changes to fulfill the federal government’s responsibility of delivering timely, adequate health care to tribal members,” Rounds added.

Rounds first called for an IHS audit in July 2016 in a letter to the HHS Inspector General. He requested an audit of IHS hospital and health care, medical services and overall financial management.

“Despite the agency’s well-documented history of failing to meet trust obligations by not providing quality health care, there has never been a systematic review of IHS to address and ultimately reform these issues in an attempt to improve health outcomes for tribal members,” the letter states. “Furthermore, there has been a continuing lack of consultation with the tribes.”

Rounds added that his office conducted a review that identified areas of concern with IHS administrative management, financial management and quality of care.