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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Fact Sheets

IHS Profile

Based on 2022 data -

  • The Indian Health Care System:
    • Indian Health Service direct health care services
      IHS federal direct care services are administered through a system of 12 area offices and 170 IHS service units.
    • Tribally-operated health care services
      More than 60 percent of IHS appropriations are administered by tribes, primarily through self-determination contracts or self-governance compacts. Titles I and V of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act allows tribes to exercise their right to self-determination by assuming control and management of programs previously administered by the federal government.
    • Urban Indian health care services and resource centers
      The IHS enters into limited, competing contracts and grants with 41 urban Indian organizations to provide health care and referral services for urban Indians. UIOs provide access to culturally appropriate and quality health care services such as ambulatory care, outreach and referral, and residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. The OUIHP 4-in-1 grant program provides funding to UIOs to address health promotion and disease prevention services, immunization services, alcohol and substance abuse related services and mental health services.
       
  • Population Served:
    • Members of 574 federally recognized tribes in 37 states
    • 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives
       
  • Annual Patient Services:
    • Inpatient admissions tribal and IHS facilities fiscal year 2023: 36,959
    • Outpatient visits at tribal and IHS facilities in fiscal year 2023: 13,949,733
       
  • Per Capita Personal Health Care Expenditures Comparison:
    • Fiscal year 2023 IHS expenditure per user population: $4,078
    • Total calendar year 2022 U.S. National Health Expenditure per person: $13,493
       
  • IHS Budget Appropriation:
    • FY 2020: $6.0 billion
    • FY 2021: $6.5 billion
    • FY 2022: $6.6 billion
    • FY 2023: $7.0 billion
    • FY 2024: $7.1 billion
       
  • IHS Third-Party Collections at federal direct care facilities:
    • FY 2020: $1.09 billion
    • FY 2021: $1.25 billion
    • FY 2022: $1.68 billion
    • FY 2023: $1.71 billion
       
  • Medicaid coverage within the IHS user population by federal fiscal year
    • FY 2020: 716,809
    • FY 2021: 735,836
    • FY 2022: 762,187
    • FY 2023: 781,359
       
  • Human Resources (as of February 2023):
    • Total IHS employees: 15,265
    • Nurses: 2,149
    • Physicians: 767
    • Pharmacists: 790
    • Dentists: 240
    • Physician Assistants: 81
    • Engineers: (Martin will find out)
    • Environmental Health and Sanitarians: 115
       
  • Facilities (as of June, 2023)            Operated By
    Type of Facility IHS Tribes
    Hospital 21 22
    Health Center 52 331
    Health Station 25 76
    Alaska Village Clinic 0 147
    School Health Center 12 7
    Youth Regional Treatment Centers 6 6

    Note: Of the 43 hospitals, five IHS and nine Tribal hospitals are critical access hospitals. 

Additional information on the IHS is available at  https://www.ihs.gov/aboutihs/

October 2024

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