U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and Catherine Cortez Masto have reintroduced a bill to extend the reporting deadline for Indian Health Service (IHS) patients who receive emergency care outside of IHS facilities. The proposed legislation, known as the IHS Emergency Claims Parity Act, seeks to extend the notification period from 72 hours to 15 days under the Purchased and Referred Care (PRC) program.
Senator Rounds stated, “Nobody in an emergency situation should have to have the bureaucratic paperwork process of the IHS at the top of their mind.” He emphasized that expecting patients to report within 72 hours is unrealistic and has led to significant medical debt in tribal communities. According to Rounds, this legislation aims to rectify one of the shortest windows for submitting emergency claims among government-run healthcare systems.
Senator Cortez Masto added, “Medical emergencies are emergencies – people can’t choose when and where they occur.” She highlighted that IHS patients should not be burdened with paperwork concerns during a crisis.
Gay Kingman, Executive Director of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association, expressed gratitude towards Senator Rounds for his leadership in improving Indian healthcare. Kingman noted that many IHS patients have limited means and require a clear path to assistance for better health outcomes.
Frank Star Comes Out, President of Oglala Sioux Tribe, remarked on the undue burden placed by the current 72-hour PRC reporting window. He thanked Senator Rounds for consulting tribal leaders and working towards potential solutions. Wayne Boyd, Treasurer of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, also supported extending the deadline as a common-sense approach.
The act proposes extending all IHS beneficiaries’ emergency care payment consideration window to 15 days while maintaining a 30-day period for elderly or disabled patients.
