CHAPTER 22 —INDIAN HOSPITALS AND HEALTH FACILITIES
SUBCHAPTER I—MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
SUBCHAPTER II—CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY HOSPITALS
SUBCHAPTER I—MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
§2001. Hospitals and health facilities transferred to Public Health Service; restriction on closing hospitals
(a) All functions, responsibilities, authorities, and duties of the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Secretary of the Interior, and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs relating to the maintenance and operation of hospital and health facilities for Indians, and the conservation of the health of Indians, are transferred to, and shall be administered by, the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services: Provided, That hospitals now in operation for a specific tribe or tribes of Indians shall not be closed prior to July 1, 1956, without the consent of the governing body of the tribe or its organized council.
(b) In carrying out his functions, responsibilities, authorities, and duties under this subchapter, the Secretary is authorized, with the consent of the Indian people served, to contract with private or other non-Federal health agencies or organizations for the provision of health services to such people on a fee-for-service basis or on a prepayment or other similar basis.
(Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §1,
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1973—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Act Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §6,
Short Title
This subchapter is popuarly known as the "Transfer Act".
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2002. Transfer of hospitals and facilities to State or private institutions; conditions and restrictions; failure to meet requirements
Whenever the health needs of the Indians can be better met thereby, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized in his discretion to enter into contracts with any State, Territory, or political subdivision thereof, or any private nonprofit corporation, agency or institution providing for the transfer by the United States Public Health Service of Indian hospitals or health facilities, including initial operating equipment and supplies.
It shall be a condition of such transfer that all facilities transferred shall be available to meet the health needs of the Indians and that such health needs shall be given priority over those of the non-Indian population. No hospital or health facility that has been constructed or maintained for a specific tribe of Indians, or for a specific group of tribes, shall be transferred by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to a non-Indian entity or organization under this subchapter unless such action has been approved by the governing body of the tribe, or by the governing bodies of a majority of the tribes, for which such hospital or health facility has been constructed or maintained: Provided, That if, following such transfer by the United States Public Health Service, the Secretary of Health and Human Services finds the hospital or health facility transferred under this section is not thereafter serving the need of the Indians, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall notify those charged with management thereof, setting forth needed improvements, and in the event such improvements are not made within a time to be specified, shall immediately assume management and operation of such hospital or health facility.
(Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §2,
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
"Secretary of Health and Human Services" substituted in text for "Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare" pursuant to section 509(b) of
Effective Date
Section effective July 1, 1959, see section 6 of act Aug. 5, 1954, set out as a note under
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Functions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and functions of all agencies of or in Public Health Service transferred to Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2003. Regulations
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is also authorized to make such other regulations as he deems desirable to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.
(Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §3,
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
"Secretary of Health and Human Services" substituted in text for "Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare" pursuant to section 509(b) of
Effective Date
Section effective July 1, 1959, see section 6 of act Aug. 5, 1954, set out as a note under
§2004. Transfer of personnel, property, records, monies
The personnel, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds (available or to be made available), which the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall determine to relate primarily to the functions transferred to the Public Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services hereunder, are transferred for use in the administration of the functions so transferred. Any of the personnel transferred pursuant to this subchapter which the transferee agency shall find to be in excess of the personnel necessary for the administration of the functions transferred to such agency shall be retransferred under existing law to other positions in the Government or separated from the service.
(Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §4,
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
"Department of Health and Human Services" substituted in text for "Department of Health, Education, and Welfare" pursuant to section 509(b) of
Effective Date
Section effective July 1, 1959, see section 6 of act Aug. 5, 1954, set out as a note under
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Functions vested by law (including reorganization plan) in Bureau of the Budget or Director of Bureau of the Budget transferred to President of the United States by section 101 of Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1970, eff. July 1, 1970, 35 F.R. 7959,
Functions of Public Health Service, Surgeon General of Public Health Service, and all other officers and employees of Public Health Service, and functions of all agencies of or in Public Health Service transferred to Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2004a. Sanitation facilities
(a) Powers of Surgeon General
In carrying out his functions under this subchapter with respect to the provision of sanitation facilities and services, the Surgeon General is authorized—
(1) to construct, improve, extend, or otherwise provide and maintain, by contract or otherwise, essential sanitation facilities, including domestic and community water supplies and facilities, drainage facilities, and sewage- and waste-disposal facilities, together with necessary appurtenances and fixtures, for Indian homes, communities, and lands;
(2) to acquire lands, or rights or interests therein, including sites, rights-of-way, and easements, and to acquire rights to the use of water, by purchase, lease, gift, exchange, or otherwise, when necessary for the purposes of this section, except that no lands or rights or interests therein may be acquired from an Indian tribe, band, group, community, or individual other than by gift or for nominal consideration, if the facility for which such lands or rights or interests therein are acquired is for the exclusive benefit of such tribe, band, group, community, or individual, respectively;
(3) to make such arrangements and agreements with appropriate public authorities and nonprofit organizations or agencies and with the Indians to be served by such sanitation facilities (and any other person so served) regarding contributions toward the construction, improvement, extension and provision thereof, and responsibilities for maintenance thereof, as in his judgment are equitable and will best assure the future maintenance of facilities in an effective and operating condition; and
(4) to transfer any facilities provided under this section, together with appurtenant interests in land, with or without a money consideration, and under such terms and conditions as in his judgment are appropriate, having regard to the contributions made and the maintenance responsibilities undertaken, and the special health needs of the Indians concerned, to any State or Territory or subdivision or public authority thereof, or to any Indian tribe, group, band, or community or, in the case of domestic appurtenances and fixtures, to any one or more of the occupants of the Indian home served thereby.
(b) Transfer and reversion of lands
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to transfer to the Surgeon General for use in carrying out the purposes of this section such interest and rights in federally owned lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, and in Indian-owned lands that either are held by the United States in trust for Indians or are subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the United States, including appurtenances and improvements thereto, as may be requested by the Surgeon General. Any land or interest therein, including appurtenances and improvements to such land, so transferred shall be subject to disposition by the Surgeon General in accordance with paragraph (4) of subsection (a): Provided, That, in any case where a beneficial interest in such land is in any Indian, or Indian tribe, band, or group, the consent of such beneficial owner to any such transfer or disposition shall first be obtained: Provided further, That where deemed appropriate by the Secretary of the Interior provisions shall be made for a reversion of title to such land if it ceases to be used for the purpose for which it is transferred or disposed.
(c) Project consultation and participation
The Surgeon General shall consult with, and encourage the participation of, the Indians concerned, States and political subdivisions thereof, in carrying out the provisions of this section.
(Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §7, as added
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2004b. Implementation of education, hospital and health facility, etc., contracts and grants by Public Health Service personnel; request for detail of personnel
In accordance with subsection (d) of
(Aug. 5, 1954, ch. 658, §8, as added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1988—
SUBCHAPTER II—CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY HOSPITALS
§2005. Financial assistance by Surgeon General
Whenever the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, in carrying out his functions under subchapter I of this chapter with respect to the provision of health services to Indians in any particular area, determines, after consultation with such Indians, that the provision of financial assistance to one or more public or other nonprofit agencies or organizations for the construction of a community hospital constitutes a method of making needed hospital facilities available for such Indians which is more desirable and effective than direct Federal construction, he may provide such financial assistance from funds available for the construction of Indian health facilities for such Indians.
(
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2005a. Amount of assistance; determination of costs
The amount of such financial assistance shall not exceed that portion of the reasonable cost of the construction project which is attributable to the Indian health needs, as determined by the Surgeon General: Provided, That in determining, for the purposes of this subchapter, the portion of the cost of the construction project attributable to Indian health needs, the Surgeon General shall take into account only those categories of Indians for which hospital and medical care, including outpatient care and field health services, is being provided by or at the expense of the Public Health Service on August 16, 1957.
(
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2005b. Conditions of assistance
As a condition to providing assistance under
(a) require plans and specifications meeting such standards of construction and equipment as he may prescribe, and
(b) obtain such assurances and agreements as in his judgment are equitable in the light of the financial assistance provided under this subchapter and are necessary to assure the availability of the facility for the provision of hospital and medical care to Indians and to assure that the hospital is operated in compliance with State standards for operation and maintenance of hospitals which receive Federal aid under title VI of the Public Health Service Act [
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Public Health Service Act, referred to in par. (b), is act July 1, 1944, ch. 373,
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2005c. Payments
The Surgeon General shall make payments under
(
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Surgeon General abolished by section 3 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1966, eff. June 25, 1966, 31 F.R. 8855,
§2005d. Eligibility of assisted project for aid under other acts; excluded costs
Neither assistance provided under this subchapter for meeting part of the cost of construction of a hospital project, nor the giving of any assurance required as a condition of such assistance, shall be construed as affecting in any way the eligibility of such project for aid under title VI of the Public Health Service Act [
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Public Health Service Act, referred to in text, is act July 1, 1944, ch. 373,
§2005e. Definitions
As used in this subchapter:
(a) "Hospital" includes diagnostic or treatment centers and general hospitals, and related facilities, such as laboratories, outpatient departments, nurses' home and training facilities, and central service facilities operated in connection with hospitals, but does not include any hospital furnishing primarily domiciliary care;
(b) "Diagnostic or treatment center" means a facility for the diagnosis or diagnosis and treatment of ambulatory patients—
(1) which is operated in connection with a hospital, or
(2) in which patient care is under the professional supervision of persons licensed to practice medicine or surgery in the State, or, in the case of dental diagnosis or treatment, under the professional supervision of persons licensed to practice dentistry in the State.
(c) "Nonprofit" means owned or operated by one or more corporations or associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.
(d) "Construction" means construction of new buildings, expansion, remodeling, and alteration of existing buildings, and initial equipment of any such buildings (including medical transportation facilities), including architects and engineering fees, but excluding legal fees, the cost of off-site improvements and the cost of the acquisition of land.
(
§2005f. Supervision or control of assisted hospitals
Except as otherwise specifically provided, nothing in this subchapter shall be construed as conferring on any Federal officer or employee the right to exercise any supervision or control over the administration, personnel, maintenance, or operation of any hospital, with respect to which any funds have been or may be expended under this subchapter.
(