How increased funding can advance the mission of the Indian Health Service to improve health outcomes for American Indians and Alaska Natives

How increased funding can advance the mission of the Indian Health Service to improve health outcomes for American Indians and Alaska Natives

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
ASPE report
Contributor(s):
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Office of Health Policy, issuing body.
Publication:
Washington, D.C. : Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Office of Health Policy, July 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
American Indian or Alaska Native -- statistics & numerical data
Financing, Government
Health Status Disparities
Healthcare Disparities
Outcome Assessment, Health Care
United States
United States. Indian Health Service
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
There are long standing and persistent health and health care disparities among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs), which are a result of centuries of structural discrimination, forced relocation, reduced economic opportunities, and chronic underfunding of health care for this population. AI/ANs have lower life expectancy; a greater likelihood of dying from COVID‐19, diabetes, and unintentional injuries; and are more likely to be uninsured than the rest of the U.S. population. Funding for the Indian Health Service (IHS) addresses only an estimated 48.6% of the health care needs for AI/ANs and has historically been subject to year‐by‐year discretionary allocations from Congress, which creates substantial long‐term uncertainty in funding levels and makes it challenging to maintain and modernize needed health care infrastructure. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 President’s Budget, informed by tribal consultations, proposes an historic increase in the IHS budget that would fully address this gap in funding. Tribes are in favor of IHS receiving a significantly higher federal appropriation in order to make progress on unmet needs. Enhanced funding could help address staffing shortages to improve access to care; strengthen disease prevention programs to reduce the burden of chronic conditions; increase access to trauma‐informed mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and specialty care services not available at Indian health sites; modernize health care infrastructure; and address other key priorities identified through tribal consultation. Additional funding is a long overdue investment in the health of AI/ANs. It would allow IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian health programs to make progress towards addressing unmet needs and improving health outcomes to advance health equity.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (20 pages))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918590086606676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918590086606676