Title 25IndiansRelease 119-73

§1647a Nondiscrimination under Federal health care programs in qualifications for reimbursement for services

Title 25 › Chapter CHAPTER 18— - INDIAN HEALTH CARE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III–A— - ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES › § 1647a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal health programs must accept health providers run by the Service, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or urban Indian organizations for payment on the same terms as other providers, if they meet the same State or program rules. If a program requires a State or local license, those tribal or Service providers count as meeting the requirement if they follow the same standards even if they do not hold the actual license. Also, a staff member’s lack of local licensure won’t count against the provider if that staff member is licensed in another State. If an entity has been excluded from any Federal health program or its State license is suspended or revoked, it cannot get paid for services to Indians. The same rule applies to individuals who have been excluded or whose State license is suspended. The term “Federal health care program” uses the usual federal definition and here also includes the federal employee health insurance program under chapter 89 of title 5. Related nondiscrimination rules are in another federal law.

Full Legal Text

Title 25, §1647a

Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)A Federal health care program must accept an entity that is operated by the Service, an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization as a provider eligible to receive payment under the program for health care services furnished to an Indian on the same basis as any other provider qualified to participate as a provider of health care services under the program if the entity meets generally applicable State or other requirements for participation as a provider of health care services under the program.
(2)Any requirement for participation as a provider of health care services under a Federal health care program that an entity be licensed or recognized under the State or local law where the entity is located to furnish health care services shall be deemed to have been met in the case of an entity operated by the Service, an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization if the entity meets all the applicable standards for such licensure or recognition, regardless of whether the entity obtains a license or other documentation under such State or local law. In accordance with section 1621t of this title, the absence of the licensure of a health professional employed by such an entity under the State or local law where the entity is located shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining whether the entity meets such standards, if the professional is licensed in another State.
(b)(1)No entity operated by the Service, an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization that has been excluded from participation in any Federal health care program or for which a license is under suspension or has been revoked by the State where the entity is located shall be eligible to receive payment or reimbursement under any such program for health care services furnished to an Indian.
(2)No individual who has been excluded from participation in any Federal health care program or whose State license is under suspension shall be eligible to receive payment or reimbursement under any such program for health care services furnished by that individual, directly or through an entity that is otherwise eligible to receive payment for health care services, to an Indian.
(3)In this subsection, the term,11 So in original. The comma probably should not appear. “Federal health care program” has the meaning given that term in section 1320a–7b(f) of title 42, except that, for purposes of this subsection, such term shall include the health insurance program under chapter 89 of title 5.
(c)For provisions related to nondiscrimination against providers operated by the Service, an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization, see section 1320b–9(c) 22 See References in Text note below. of title 42.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 1320b–9 of title 42, referred to in subsec. (c), relates to improved access to, and delivery of, health care for Indians under subchapters XIX and XXI of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Subsec. (c) of section 1320b–9 of Title 42 contains definitions of terms. Codification section 408 of Pub. L. 94–437 is based on section 156 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

25 U.S.C. § 1647a

Title 25Indians

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73