Statement from the IHS Acting Director Elizabeth Fowler on the President's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget

The President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget released today includes significant new investments for IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health programs that will expand access to health care services, modernize aging facilities and information technology infrastructure, and address urgent health issues, including HIV and hepatitis C, maternal mortality, and opioid use. It also includes funding to improve health care quality, enhance operational capacity, and recruit and retain health care providers. Additionally, the budget fully funds contract support costs and Section 105(l) leases, and proposes to reclassify funding for both accounts as mandatory beginning in fiscal year 2023.

The President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget requests a total of $8.5 billion in discretionary funding for the IHS. This is an increase of $2.2 billion dollars, or 36 percent above the fiscal year 2021 enacted funding level. The budget proposes the largest single-year funding increase for IHS in decades, which is a significant step in meeting America’s commitment to tribal nations and will begin redressing health disparities in Indian Country.

Today’s announcement acknowledges the need to identify long-term solutions to address IHS funding challenges, which have a direct impact on the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people. As a first step, the budget includes a new advance appropriations request for the IHS beginning in fiscal year 2023. Advance appropriations will provide critically needed stability for IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health programs by setting an estimated level of funding that would become available at the beginning of fiscal year 2023. This would insulate IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health programs from the adverse effects of continuing resolutions and government shutdowns. Advance appropriations for the IHS would also provide parity with how the Veterans Health Administration is funded.

For more information, please see the Fiscal Year 2022 IHS Congressional Justification [PDF].