A hospital or skilled nursing facility of the Indian Health Service, whether operated by such Service or by an Indian tribe or tribal organization (as those terms are defined in section 1603 of title 25), shall be eligible for payments under this subchapter, notwithstanding sections 1395f(c) and 1395n(d) of this title, if and for so long as it meets all of the conditions and requirements for such payments which are applicable generally to hospitals or skilled nursing facilities (as the case may be) under this subchapter.

Notwithstanding subsection (a), a hospital or skilled nursing facility of the Indian Health Service which does not meet all of the conditions and requirements of this subchapter which are applicable generally to hospitals or skilled nursing facilities (as the case may be), but which submits to the Secretary within six months after September 30, 1976, an acceptable plan for achieving compliance with such conditions and requirements, shall be deemed to meet such conditions and requirements (and to be eligible for payments under this subchapter), without regard to the extent of its actual compliance with such conditions and requirements, during the first 12 months after the month in which such plan is submitted.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, payments to which any hospital or skilled nursing facility of the Indian Health Service is entitled by reason of this section shall be placed in a special fund to be held by the Secretary and used by him (to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts) exclusively for the purpose of making any improvements in the hospitals and skilled nursing facilities of such Service which may be necessary to achieve compliance with the applicable conditions and requirements of this subchapter. The preceding sentence shall cease to apply when the Secretary determines and certifies that substantially all of the hospitals and skilled nursing facilities of such Service in the United States are in compliance with such conditions and requirements.

The annual report of the Secretary which is required by section 1671 of title 25 shall include (along with the matters specified in section 1643 of title 25) a detailed statement of the status of the hospitals and skilled nursing facilities of the Service in terms of their compliance with the applicable conditions and requirements of this subchapter and of the progress being made by such hospitals and facilities (under plans submitted under subsection (b) and otherwise) toward the achievement of such compliance.

The services described in this paragraph are the following:

Notwithstanding section 1395n(d) of this title, subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make payment under part B to a hospital or an ambulatory care clinic (whether provider-based or freestanding) that is operated by the Indian Health Service or by an Indian tribe or tribal organization (as defined for purposes of subsection (a)) for services described in paragraph (2) (and for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2005, all items and services for which payment may be made under part B) furnished in or at the direction of the hospital or clinic under the same situations, terms, and conditions as would apply if the services were furnished in or at the direction of such a hospital or clinic that was not operated by such Service, tribe, or organization.

(A) Notwithstanding section 1395n(d) of this title, subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make payment under part B to a hospital or an ambulatory care clinic (whether provider-based or freestanding) that is operated by the Indian Health Service or by an Indian tribe or tribal organization (as defined for purposes of subsection (a)) for services described in paragraph (2) (and for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2005, all items and services for which payment may be made under part B) furnished in or at the direction of the hospital or clinic under the same situations, terms, and conditions as would apply if the services were furnished in or at the direction of such a hospital or clinic that was not operated by such Service, tribe, or organization.

(B) Payment shall not be made for services under subparagraph (A) to the extent that payment is otherwise made for such services under this subchapter.

The services described in this paragraph are the following:

(A) Services for which payment is made under section 1395w–4 of this title.

(B) Services furnished by a practitioner described in section 1395u(b)(18)(C) of this title for which payment under part B is made under a fee schedule.

(C) Services furnished by a physical therapist or occupational therapist as described in section 1395x(p) of this title for which payment under part B is made under a fee schedule.

(3) Subsection (c) shall not apply to payments made under this subsection.

For provisions relating to the authority of certain Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Alaska Native health organizations to elect to directly bill for, and receive payment for, health care services provided by a hospital or clinic of such tribes or organizations and for which payment may be made under this subchapter, see section 1645 of title 25.[1]

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVIII, § 1880, as added Pub. L. 94–437, title IV, § 401(b), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1408; amended Pub. L. 102–573, title VII, § 701(d), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4572; Pub. L. 106–417, § 3(b)(1), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1815; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(6) [title IV, § 432(a)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–525; Pub. L. 108–173, title VI, § 630, Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2321; Pub. L. 111–148, title II, § 2902(a), title X, § 10221(a), (b)(4), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 333, 935, 936.)