Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act of 2025 | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

Senate BillS 699Health care coverage and accessIndian social and development programs

Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act of 2025

INTRO FEB 24· LAST ACTION FEB 4

READING

7MIN

COSPONSORS

5BIPARTISAN

READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL

NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST

Introduced only

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 / 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed Senate

Passed House

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

This bill matters because it addresses a long-standing issue of medical debt and financial uncertainty for Native American patients. Currently, patients receiving services referred by IHS can sometimes still receive bills or be pursued by debt collectors, despite the care being authorized. This creates stress, impacts credit, and can be a barrier to seeking necessary care.

If this bill becomes law, it will provide clear legal protection, ensuring that patients are not responsible for costs related to IHS-authorized care. It also creates a mechanism for patients to get their money back if they inadvertently pay. Without this bill, the ambiguity around payment liability would continue, potentially leaving patients vulnerable to unexpected medical bills and collection efforts for services they believed were covered. It aims to uphold the federal government's trust responsibility to provide healthcare to Native Americans without imposing additional financial burdens.

KEY PROVISIONS

5AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Clearly states that patients are not financially responsible for authorized purchased/referred care, overriding any other agreements or forms signed by the patient.

This directly protects patients from unexpected medical bills and debt collectors for care that IHS authorized.

PROVISION 02

Requires the Secretary to notify both the provider and the patient within 5 business days that the patient is not liable for costs of authorized purchased/referred care.

This ensures timely communication and prevents providers from incorrectly billing patients, and patients from mistakenly paying.

PROVISION 03

Establishes a process for patients to get reimbursed within 30 days if they paid out-of-pocket for authorized purchased/referred care.

This provides a practical solution for patients who have already faced financial burdens and ensures they can recover their funds.

PROVISION 04

The new rules and protections apply to purchased/referred care furnished on, before, or after the bill's enactment date, making the changes retroactive.

This means patients can seek relief for past bills, not just future ones, extending the benefit significantly.

PROVISION 05

Replaces the term "contract health services" with "purchased/referred care" throughout the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and provides a clear definition for the new term.

This standardizes terminology, reducing confusion and improving clarity in the law and its application.

SPONSORSHIP

1 + 5

COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 80%

DEM 3 REP 2 IND 0

ACTION TIMELINE

3 EVENTS

FEB 4

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

COMMITTEE

FEB 24

Introduced in Senate

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 24

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeSenate Bill

NumberS 699

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 24, 2025

Last actionFeb 4, 2026

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 24, 2025

Senate BillS 699Health care coverage and accessIndian social and development programs

Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act of 2025

INTRODUCED FEB 24, 2025· LAST ACTION FEB 4, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

7 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed Senate

Passed House

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Clearly states that patients are not financially responsible for authorized purchased/referred care, overriding any other agreements or forms signed by the patient.

This directly protects patients from unexpected medical bills and debt collectors for care that IHS authorized.

med

Requires the Secretary to notify both the provider and the patient within 5 business days that the patient is not liable for costs of authorized purchased/referred care.

This ensures timely communication and prevents providers from incorrectly billing patients, and patients from mistakenly paying.

high

Establishes a process for patients to get reimbursed within 30 days if they paid out-of-pocket for authorized purchased/referred care.

This provides a practical solution for patients who have already faced financial burdens and ensures they can recover their funds.

high

The new rules and protections apply to purchased/referred care furnished on, before, or after the bill's enactment date, making the changes retroactive.

This means patients can seek relief for past bills, not just future ones, extending the benefit significantly.

med

Replaces the term "contract health services" with "purchased/referred care" throughout the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and provides a clear definition for the new term.

This standardizes terminology, reducing confusion and improving clarity in the law and its application.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment.

Secretary shall establish and implement procedures for patient reimbursement (except for tribal programs not expressly agreed to).

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the patient submits documentation.

Patient reimbursement for out-of-pocket payments by the Service after documentation submission.

Not later than 5 business days after receipt of a notification of a claim by a provider.

Secretary shall notify a purchased/referred care provider and patient of non-liability for charges/costs.

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment.

Secretary shall update applicable provisions of and exhibits to the Indian Health Manual, contracts, and other documents.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Purchased/referred care: Health services provided by an outside public or private medical provider or hospital, not directly by an Indian health program, but based on a referral or at the expense of an Indian health program.
Indian Health Service (IHS): A federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides healthcare services to federally recognized Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Indian Health Care Improvement Act: A federal law that provides the legal authority for the Indian Health Service (IHS) to deliver health services to Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Indian tribe: Any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village, as defined by federal law.
Contract health services: An older term for health services purchased by the Indian Health Service or tribal health programs from outside providers, now being updated to "purchased/referred care."

ACTION TIMELINE

3 EVENTS

FEB 4

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

COMMITTEE

FEB 24, 25

Introduced in Senate

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 24, 25

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

INTROREFERRAL

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Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act of 2025

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Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act of 2025

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