Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Tribal Health Care Reimbursement Disputes

Native American tribes in Arizona and Wyoming argue that federal law shortchanges them.

“The Guardian” or “Authority of Law" statue by James Earle Frasier in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Sept. 28, 2020. Al Drago/Getty Images

The Supreme Court agreed on Nov. 20 to take a look at whether Indian tribes should be allowed to sue the federal government over reimbursements related to administrative expenses generated by insurers.

The federal Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDA) empowers Native American tribes to administer their own health care programs. Tribes receive funding from the Indian Health Service (IHS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).