On Friday, June 30, 2023, the Indian Health Service (IHS) released a Dear Tribal Leader Letter to provide an update on COVID-19 appropriations provided to the agency in FYs 2020 and 2021. During this time period, IHS received over $9 billion in supplemental appropriations.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA), (Public Law 118-5) which was enacted on June 3, 2023, protects funding directly appropriated to the IHS, but rescinds COVID-19 funding transferred to IHS from COVID-19 appropriations. According to the letter, approximately $419 million is impacted by this rescission. 

Impacted activities from this recission include COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination activities at IHS-operated hospitals and health clinics, and other mitigation activities; the purchase and distribution of PPE, COVID-19 tests, therapeutics and vaccines at no cost to IHS, Tribal and urban Indian health programs; and the establishment, expansion, and sustainment of a public health workforce. 

The letter also notes that IHS has $900 million in remaining COVID-19 funding. 

IHS included additional documents with the letter:

• Estimated COVID-19 Supplemental Rescission Impacts Under the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023 can be found here.

• Status of IHS COVID-19 Supplemental Funding After the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023 can be found here.

Please do not hesitate to contact Caitrin Shuy, Director of Government Relations (cshuy@nihb.org) or Tyler Scribner (tscribner@nihb.org), Director of Budget and Appropriations with any questions.