- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Federal Government Announces Significant Efforts to Reduce Homelessness
The Biden-Harris administration announced a series of measures to address homelessness across the country, reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to safe, stable housing. This includes updating regulations that streamline the repurposing of surplus federal properties for affordable housing and homelessness services, making resources available to a select number of states under the second cohort of the Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and awarding approximately $39.8 million to support veterans through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
In collaboration with HHS, HUD announced an opportunity for states to apply to participate in a second cohort of the Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator. The program will provide individualized technical assistance to help states reduce homelessness by addressing health-related social needs, such as services that connect older adults and people with disabilities to affordable, accessible housing.
The Accelerator also will facilitate sharing of lessons learned and promising practices for improving collaboration and coordination across the housing and healthcare sectors to optimize resources and close resource gaps, align state and local policies, deliver more integrated and seamless services, and ultimately help more people secure and maintain stable housing.
Additionally, HUD will award approximately $39.8 million in additional funding through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, which offers rental assistance and supportive services to veterans experiencing homelessness. As of the end of Fiscal Year 2024, HUD has connected nearly 90,000 veteran households to stable, rental homes and services through VA health centers. This funding is a key step in the Administration’s goal of ending veteran homelessness by ensuring that those who have served our country have access to stable housing and essential services. Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that veteran homelessness has dropped to its lowest level on record.
119th Congress Begins January 3, 2025
Friday, January 3, 2025, marks the first day of the 119th Congress, and its first order of business in the House will be electing a Speaker. The Senate has begun scheduling confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump’s nominees. Incoming Senate Finance Committee Chair, Mike Crapo (R-ID), said last week that the confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to lead HHS, will be held during the first two weeks of January. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee plans to hold a courtesy hearing for the HHS Secretary nominee as well.
Calendars for the 119th Congress, 2025 are available here: House and Senate.
IHS Released FY25 Approved Reimbursement Rates
The Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS) has approved the rates for inpatient and outpatient medical care provided by the IHS facilities for Calendar Year 2025. The Calendar Year 2025 rates are as follows:
Inpatient Hospital Per Diem Rate (Excludes Physician/Practitioner Services) for CY 25
Lower 48 States: $5,580.
Alaska: $5,074.
Outpatient Per Visit Rate (Excluding Medicare) for CY 25
Lower 48 States: $801.
Alaska: $1,209.
Outpatient Per Visit Rate (Medicare) for CY 25
Lower 48 States: $718.
Alaska: $1,193.
Medicare Part B Inpatient Ancillary Per Diem Rate for CY 25
Lower 48 States: $1,074.
Alaska: $1,567.
Outpatient Surgery Rate (Medicare) for CY 25
Established Medicare rates for freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Centers.
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