Yesterday the White House unveiled the President’s requested FY2013 Budget. As expected, this budget request contained few significant spending increases in health care, and held funding steady for many programs. The budget request includes an increase of $115 million increase for the Indian Health Service budget, while holding the Title V Urban Indian Health line item steady at $42.9 million. The President’s budget also invests $3.1 billion for community health center funding in 2013 to support the creation of more than 25 new health center sites across the country.
While this budget does not reflect a bold and robust commitment to urban Indian health care, NCUIH continues to meet with Congressional appropriations staff to identify opportunities for increasing the Title V UIHP line item. To date, these meetings have left us optimistic that an increase in UIHP funding for FY2013 cannot be ruled out. We will be working very hard over the coming months to build support for our position and to ensure that UIHPs see an increase in funding for FY2013.
