Swinomish Tribe Loses Appeal Seeking Extra Federal Health Money

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community lost its appeal seeking an additional $245,867 in federal funds for operating its tribal health program, when the D.C. Circuit ruled Tuesday that the tribe isn’t entitled to reimbursement for administrative expenses tied to money it receives from private insurers.

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act requires the government to pay for some of a tribe’s administrative expenses—called contract support costs—in running a health program with public funds, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled. But the act doesn’t require the payment of contract support costs when a tribe spends money ...