Kayla Gebeck is a public affairs advisor at Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office

As efforts continue on Capitol Hill to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), Congressman Raul Ruiz and other Democratic members of Congress are hosting a tribal policy roundtable to hear directly from tribal leaders on the impact that the ACA has had on Indian Country. Topics for the discussion include, ACA provisions that benefit Indian Country and must be preserved, identification of areas of improvement, and solidifying a path forward.

Date: February 16, 2017
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 234 Cannon House Office Building.

Space is limited. To reserve your seat, please RSVP to Ross Arnett at Ross.Arnett@mail.house.gov or by phone at 202-225-5330 by Monday, February 13, 2017.

Congressman Ruiz Focuses on Improving the Indian Health Service

On February 8, Holland & Knight held a healthcare symposium to discuss important considerations about transforming America's healthcare system. Specific to Indian Country, Congressman Ruiz (D-CA) spoke to the importance of addressing the shortcomings of the Indian Health Service, the need for Medicaid expansion, and addressing physician shortages that are creating disparities in accessing health care.

"The other thing I intend to do is to work with many of you to strengthen the Indian Health Service, because we know there is an enormous health disparity and access to care within the Indian Health Service. We know that through the ACA's Medicaid expansion, this system has received over 400 million dollars to help address our trust responsibility, under the Constitution, to provide the care for tribes as a result of the historical trauma that they have experienced with their dealings with our federal government. That is the right thing and the just thing to do."

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