Congress 115 - HR 2662 - Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act of 2017

Sponsor

Cosponsors

Topics

Accounting and auditing Administrative law and regulatory procedures Administrative remedies Civil actions and liability Congressional oversight Department of Health and Human Services Employee hiring Employee performance Employment and training programs Employment discrimination and employee rights Federal officials Federal-Indian relations Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Government studies and investigations Health care quality Health facilities and institutions Health personnel Health programs administration and funding Historical and cultural resources Housing supply and affordability Indian social and development programs Licensing and registrations Medical education Minority health Native Americans Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations Student aid and college costs

Full Text

View Full Bill Text

Votes

Summary

Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act of 2017

This bill amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a pay system for health care professionals employed by Indian Health Service (IHS) that is competitive with the salary of health care professionals employed by the Veterans Health Administration. HHS may establish incentives related to IHS employee recruitment and retention by providing relocation costs and rental assistance to employees under certain circumstances.

In addition, IHS must:

centralize its credentialing system for licensed health professionals seeking to provide health care services at its facilities,
establish standards to measure the timeliness of health care services in its facilities,
implement an annual mandatory program that provides cultural training for certain IHS employees and contractors, and
establish a demonstration project to provide additional staffing resources to understaffed IHS facilities.

Liability protections are given to certain health care professionals who volunteer at IHS facilities.

The bill expands the IHS student loan repayment program to include loan repayments for degrees related to health administration.

HHS may: (1) directly hire candidates to positions within IHS; and (2) remove, transfer, or demote certain IHS employees based on performance or misconduct.

HHS must establish a tribal consultation policy for IHS.

The bill establishes: (1) whistle blower protections for IHS employees, and (2) requirements concerning IHS fiscal accountability and transparency.

Actions

Jun 21, 2017

Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Jun 8, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
Jun 7, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 26, 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 25, 2017

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
May 25, 2017

Introduced in House

Amendments

Related Bills