On Friday, September 27, 2019, President Trump signed a short term funding bill--known as a Continuing Resolution (CR)--to keep the government operating while Congress continues appropriations work for Fiscal Year 2020. Included in this CR was a short term renewal for several public health programs, including the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI).
Congress now has until November 21, 2019 to enact long term renewal for SDPI. The National Indian Health Board is advocating for long term renewal of the program, and recently coordinated a postcard mailing campaign to Congress at our 2019 National Tribal Health Conference.
Currently, the Senate's proposed legislation renews SDPI for five years at $150 million, the same level of funding as every year since 2004. The House's proposed legislation renews the program at $150 million for four years.
For more information on the positive public health outcomes SDPI has supported since its creation in 1997, click here.
On Thursday, September 19, 2019, the House of Representatives passed a short term funding bill, also known as a Continuing Resolution (CR). The CR would fund the government at current levels until November 21, buying additional time for congressional appropriators to finish their work on Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations. Included in the CR is short term renewal for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) and other public health extenders. This short term renewal would ensure funding for the programs remains available through November 21, 2019.
The Senate is expected to approve the CR, which has support from the White House, later this week. Congress would then have until November 21, 2019 to enact long term renewal for SDPI.
Currently, the Senate's proposed legislation renews SDPI for five years at $150 million, the same level of funding as every year since 2004. The House's proposed legislation renews the program at $150 million for four years.For more information on the positive public health outcomes SDPI has supported since its creation in 1997, click here.
On July 17, 2019, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced legislation to renew the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). SDPI is a vital program that gives Tribes the tools they need to combat diabetes in their communities, through both prevention and treatment. SDPI will expire on September 30, 2019 unless Congress renews it.
On May 10, 2019, Congressman Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ) introduced legislation renewing SDPI for 5 years at $200 million per year, which would be a $50 million annual increase over current funding. NIHB strongly supported Rep. O'Halleran's efforts to secure SDPI's first funding increase in fifteen years! Unfortunately, due to an inability to pay for this increase, the Energy and Commerce Committee reduced the SDPI renewal funding level to $150 million for four years at the July 17 markup. That legislation passed out of committee and is currently awaiting a vote from the House of Representatives.
Representative Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ) has introduced legislation (H.R. 2680) to renew the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) for 5 years at $200 million per year!
H.R. 2680 reflects two longstanding Tribal goals for the program that NIHB has worked to achieve: long term reauthorization and a funding increase...
The Co-Chairs of the House Diabetes Caucus are circulating a Congressional sign on letter to House leadership supporting the Special Diabetes Program, which funds type-1 research, and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI), which supports Tribal programs focused on diabetes prevention and treatment.
Congressional authorization for SDPI will expire on September 30, 2019 unless Congress renews the program. Currently, legislation in the Senate would renew SDPI for five years at the current funding level of $150 million per year. House legislation will be introduced in the near future. The letter from the Diabetes Caucus will be a useful tool for advocates of SDPI, so NIHB is working to ensure as many congressional offices as possible sign onto the letter...
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) is one of the most successful public health programs in Indian Country. During the lifetime of the program, the rate of End Stage Renal Disease among the American Indian/Alaska Native population has plummeted by 54%!
Without renewal from Congress, the program will expire on September 30, 2019. The House Diabetes Caucus, led by Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Tom Reed (R-NY) have issued a letter to House leadership asking for their support for SDPI and the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), which funds research into Type 1 Diabetes. A letter for Senators will be available in the near future. The last time a letter for SDP and SDPI was circulated, over 75% of Congress signed on!...
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) will expire at the end of September 2019.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released S. 192, a bill to reauthorize the SDPI for five years. The renewal is included in a bipartisan bill extending several current health care programs. A five-year renewal for SDPI would be the longest stretch of guaranteed funding for the program since 2002. This is a sign that Congress understands the well documented successes of the program and supports its continuation.
Unfortunately, the legislation as currently written provides $150 million in annual funding for the program, which is the same stagnant amount for every year since 2004. In that time, over 37% of the program's effectiveness has been eaten up by medical inflation. To have the same buying power as in 2004, SDPI would have to be funded at $234 million!
Similar legislation in the House of Representatives will soon be introduced.
Click here to view the latest Fact Sheets on SDPI.
Stay tuned to NIHB for more information about SDPI renewal!
If you have any questions, please contact NIHB Director of Congressional Relations, Caitrin Shuy, at (202) 507-4085 or [email protected].
On Monday, February 12, 2018 President Trump released his fiscal year (FY) 2019 Budget Request to Congress. This is the proposal that the Administration provides the Congress as they will develop the FY 2019 appropriation including funds for the Indian Health Service and other health programs serving Indian Country. It will be up to Congress to make any final spending decisions about appropriations for FY 2019, which will begin on October 1, 2018...
Early this morning, both chambers of Congress approved a spending bill written by the Majority and Minority leaders in the Senate. Following the vote, President Trump signed the bill into law, reopening the federal government after an hours-long shutdown. The bill funds the federal government until March 23, 2018...
Senate leadership has announced a two-year budget agreement to avoid another shutdown and lessen Congress's reliance on short term Continuing Resolutions to fund the government. It would fund the federal government through March 23, 2018, and provide a pathway for Congress to determine the final spending amounts for the remainder of FY 2018. Congress must pass a spending bill by the end of the day TODAY, February 8, 2018, to avoid another shutdown...
As the National Indian Health Board has previously reported, one of our top legislative priorities is the long-term renewal of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. Funding for this highly effective, life-saving program will expire on March 31, 2018, unless Congress reauthorizes it before then.
When SDPI renewal was not included in the last Continuing Resolution despite Congressional promises to Indian Country, NIHB promised to provide Tribes and advocates with Congressional outreach guidance, materials, and information in order to secure renewal for the program...
The Work Continues...
Thank you to everyone who participated in Congressional outreach for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) renewal today. Unfortunately, we just learned that SDPI is not likely to be included in the current Continuing Resolution (CR). The House Rules Committee is considering the CR now - we expect that the Committee will issue a Closed Rule, meaning no amendments will be allowed, and SDPI renewal is not in the CR. The CR being considered the Rules Committee today, if approved, will expire February 16, 2018. The CR does contain a 6-year reauthorization for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). For many months, lawmakers and Congressional Leadership assured NIHB and Indian Country that the SDPI renewal would be taken up with CHIP: that did not happen today...
Yesterday, January 16, 2018, House Republican leadership released language for the next Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund federal government agencies until February 16. The CR includes a six-year reauthorization for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Many American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and their families receive coverage from this program, and NIHB supports its renewal. Unfortunately, the CR does NOT include any language renewing the Special Diabates Program for Indians (SDPI), which now expires on March 31, 2018! ...
Last night, Congress approved a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the federal government - including the Indian Health Service and most other federal agencies - through January 19, 2018 at current year funding levels. The previous CR would have expired today. The legislation passed in the House of Representatives by a margin of 231-188 where 16 Republicans voted no and 14 Democrats voted for the bill. In the Senate the legislation was approved by a vote of 66-32. In the Senate, 17 Democrats supported the measure and 2 Republicans opposed.
Importantly, the bill also contained a short term extension for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). Funding for this life-saving program would have expired on December 31. The new extension funds SDPI through March 31. The House of Representatives has already approved a 2-year extension for SDPI but due to the way it was paid for (through cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund) that legislation did not make it through the Senate...
On September 29, 2017, President Trump signed a 3 month extension for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) into law as part of the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act (H.R. 3823). The program would have expired on September 30, 2017, but now is set to expire on December 31, 2017. It is funded level funding from previous years ($150 million).
Dear SDPI Advocates:
As many of you know, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) expires at the end of September. With this life-saving program at risk, it is essential that Tribes and their advocates reach out to Members of Congress to voice support for renewal of SDPI by September 30.
Last night, the Senate Finance Committee announced a 5 year deal on the renewal of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP is believed to be the legislative vehicle for moving SDPI and other programs that expire by the end of the month. However, it is not clear if the Senate Finance Committee intends to include other program "extenders" - like SDPI - in their legislation...
On April 14, 2015, the U.S. Senate passed a two (2) year renewal for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). The renewal was contained in a larger bill called: "H.R. 2 - The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015." The measure was passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 92-8. This follows action by the House of Representatives on March 26, 2015, which also passed the legislation by a bipartisan vote. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law.
SDPI is one of many programs in this legislation. Other provisions included a 2-year authorization of the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and a permanent adjustment of the Medicare physician payment formula. You can read a summary of the legislation here.
SDPI provides critical programs that are helping our Tribal communities address complications and burdens of Type 2 diabetes. The newly-passed legislation funds SDPI at $150 million per year, which is the same as the current level. This program will now expire on September 30, 2017.
On Thursday, March 25 the U.S. House of Representatives passed a two (2) year renewal for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). The renewal was contained in a larger bill called: "H.R. 2 - The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015." The measure was passed by a bipartisan vote of 392-37, with 212 Republicans and 180 Democrats supporting it.
SDPI is one of many programs in this legislation. Other provisions included a 2-year authorization of the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and a permanent adjustment of the Medicare physician payment formula. You can read a summary of the legislation here.
SDPI provides critical programs that are helping our Tribal communities address complications and burdens of Type 2 diabetes. This program is set to expire on September 30, 2015 unless Congress acts to renew it.
The measure now goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The Senate is expected to take up the bill during the week of April 13 when it returns from a two week recess. Please stay tuned to NIHB for updates.
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) is typically renewed as part of the “Sustainable Growth Rate” Fix (or “Doc Fix”) which governs the rates physicians are paid by Medicare. Accompanying this legislation, are a group of public health programs known as the “Medicare Extenders.” SDPI, along with the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), to promote research for Type 1 Diabetes, is one of those programs. Over the last several years, Congress has enacted only short-term legislation for the Doc Fix, and consequently, SDPI has only been renewed for a year at a time.
Today, SDPI is funded at a level of $150 million per year and supports 404 diabetes treatment and prevention programs in 35 states. With funding for this critical program set to expire on September 30, 2015, Tribes are requesting a renewal of this program of $200 million/ year for 5 years. While we understand an increase in funds during this budgetary environment is difficult, SDPI has been level-funded since 2002. This represents an effective decrease. Calculating for inflation, $150 million in 2002 would be about $115 million in 2014 – or 23 percent less. It is critical that Congress continue to invest in SDPI, which will save millions in preventative care over the long term.
WASHINGTON DC- March 31, 2014-Today Congress passed a one year renewal of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), which continues to lead national efforts to secure the SDPI program, is very pleased with this development. Stacy Bohlen, NIHB's Executive Director states, "American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer from the worst Type 2 Diabetes rates in the United States. We have four-year-olds presenting with Type 2 Diabetes - this has got to stop and SDPI is making that possible. Today's victory is one more step in making this life-saving program permanent."..
As SDPI is set to expire on September 30, 2014 we have a critical opportunity to have this program renewed by March 31, when Congress must renew the Medicare Extender legislation that is typically the legislative vehicle for SDPI. SDPI funding is changing the diabetes landscape for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and how SDPI is saving lives, lowering medical expenditures and demonstrating a real return on the federal investment.
The current SGR Fix and the Medicare Extenders –the typical legislative vehicle for SDPI - expires on March 31, 2014. With funding for this critical program set to expire on September 30, NIHB urges Congress to enact a multi-year renewal of by this date to ensure that this program can continue. Click here to see how you can help support this important renewal.
On Tuesday, March 12, the office of Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY) and the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) held a briefing on the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI). As you may recall, SDPI is set to expire on September 30, 2014. We have a critical opportunity to have this program renewed by March 31, when Congress must renew the Medicare Extender legislation that is typically the legislative vehicle for SDPI...Read More (PDF)