119-hr1418

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1418 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1418

 To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability 
for payment of charges or costs associated with provision of purchased/
 referred care services, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 18, 2025

 Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself and Ms. Schrier) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability 
for payment of charges or costs associated with provision of purchased/
 referred care services, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Purchased and Referred Care 
Improvement Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CHANGES TO LIABILITY FOR PAYMENT.

    (a) In General.--

Section 222 of the Indian Health Care Improvement 
Act (25 U.S.C. 1621u) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) by striking ``A patient'' and inserting 
 ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any 
 agreement, form, or other written or electronic 
 document signed by a patient, a patient''; and
        (B) by striking ``contract health care'' and 
 inserting ``purchased/referred care'';

    (2) in subsection

    (b) --
        (A) by striking ``contract care'' each place it 
 appears and inserting ``purchased/referred care'';
        (B) by striking ``contract health care'' and 
 inserting ``purchased/referred care'';
            (C) by inserting ``, notwithstanding any other 
 provision of law or any agreement, form, or other 
 written or electronic document signed by a patient,'' 
 after ``by the Service that''; and
            (D) by inserting ``to any provider, debt collector, 
 or any other person'' after ``is not liable'';

    (3) in subsection
            (c) , by inserting ``, the debt collector, 
 or any other person, as applicable'' after ``the provider''; 
 and

    (4) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (d) Reimbursement.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date 
 of the enactment of this subsection and in consultation with 
 Indian Tribes, the Secretary shall establish and implement 
 procedures to allow a patient that paid out-of-pocket for 
 purchased/referred care services authorized by the Service 
 under this Act to be reimbursed by the Service for that payment 
 not later than 30 days after the patient submits documentation 
 to the Service pursuant to paragraph

    (2) .
 ``

    (2) Submitting documentation.--The Secretary shall accept 
 documentation from a patient seeking reimbursement under 
 paragraph

    (1) that was submitted--
 ``
        (A) electronically; or
 ``
        (B) in-person at a Service facility.
 ``

    (3) Effect.--The preceding provisions of this subsection 
 shall not apply to purchased/referred care service furnished 
 under a purchased/referred care services program operated by an 
 Indian Tribe under an Indian Self-Determination and Education 
 Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) compact or contract 
 unless expressly agreed to by the Indian Tribe.
 ``

    (e) Updating Authorities.--Not later than 180 days of the 
enactment of this subsection and in consultation with Indian Tribes, 
the Secretary shall update applicable provisions of and exhibits to the 
Indian Health Manual, contracts with providers, and other relevant 
documents and administrative authorities to incorporate the provisions 
of this section.''.

    (b) Application.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
to purchased/referred care services authorized by the Indian Health 
Service furnished on, before, or after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

Section 4

    (5) of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603) is amended by striking the paragraph 
designation and heading and all that follows through ``means'' and 
inserting the following:
 ``

    (5) Purchased/referred care.--The term `purchased/
 referred care' means''.

    (b) Technical Amendments.--The Indian Health Care Improvement Act 
(25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended by striking ``contract health 
service'' each place it appears (regardless of casing and typeface and 
including in the headings) and inserting ``purchased/referred care'' 
(with appropriate casing and typeface).
            (c) Updating Authorities.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services is directed to ensure that the Indian Health Manual and all 
other relevant rules, guidance, manuals, and other materials are 
revised such that ``contract health service'', each place it appears 
(regardless of casing and typeface and including in the headings) is 
revised to read ``purchased/referred care'' (with appropriate casing 
and typeface).
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