WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), established in 1972, serves all Federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal governments by advocating for the improvement of health care delivery to AI/ANs, as well as upholding the Federal government’s trust responsibility to AI/AN Tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, the unmet health needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives are severe and the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives is far below that of the general population of the United States, resulting in an average life expectancy for American Indians and Alaska Natives 4.2 years less than that for the U.S. all races population; and

WHEREAS, the Indian Health Service (IHS) operates a Federally funded/Federally staffed Direct Service Hospital on the Winnebago Reservation which provides critically needed medical services to the members of the Winnebago and Omaha Tribes of Nebraska and other Federally Recognized American Indian/Alaska Natives residing in its service area; and

WHEREAS, because of shortages in Federal appropriations, this IHS hospital, like every other IHS hospital in the United States, is heavily reliant on third party revenues, especially those from Medicare and Medicaid, to fund its staff, procurements and general operations; and

WHEREAS, the NIHB has recently learned that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) terminated the Winnebago Hospital’s Certification on July 25, 2015, making the facility ineligible to bill Medicare or Medicaid for eligible services provided; and