PUBLIC LAW 102-381—OCT. 5, 1992 106 STAT. 1409 health and facilities support activities of the Indian Health Service, including hire of passenger motor vehicles and aircraft; purchase of reprints; purchase and erection of modular buildings; payments for telephone service in private residences in the field, when authorized under regulations approved by the Secretary, $336,500,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds appropriated for the planning, design, construction or renovation of health facilities for the benefit of an Indian tribe or tribes may be used to purchase land for sites to construct, improve, or enlarge health or related facilities. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE Appropriations in this Act to the Indian Health Service shall be available for services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109 but at rates not to exceed the per diem rate equivalent to the maximum rate payable for senior-level positions under 5 U.S.C. 5376, and for uniforms or allowances therefor as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5901-5902), and for expenses of attendance at meetings which are concerned with the functions or activities for which the appropriation is made or which will contribute to improved conduct, supervision, or management of those functions or activities: Provided, That in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, non-Indian patients may be extended health care at all tribally administered or Indian Health Service facilities, subject to charges, and the proceeds along with funds recovered under the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 2651- 53) shall be credited to the account of the facility providing the service and shall be available without fiscal year limitation: Provided further, That funds appropriated to the Indian Health Service in this Act, except those used for administrative and program direction purposes, shall not be subject to limitations directed at curtailing Federal travel and transportation: Provided further. That 25 USC 1681. with the exception of Indian Health Service units which currently have a billing policy, the Indian Health Service shall not initiate any further action to bill Indians in order to collect from thirdparty payers nor to charge those Indians who may have the economic means to pay unless and until such time as Congress has agreed upon a specific policy to do so and has directed the Indian Health Service to implement such a policy: Provided further, That Labor. personnel ceilings may not be imposed on the Indian Health Service nor may any action be taken to reduce the full-time equivalent level of the Indian Health Service by the elimination of temporary employees by reduction in force, hiring freeze or any other means without the review and approval of the Committees on Appropriations: Provided further. That none of the funds made available to the Indian Health Service in this Act shall be used to implement the final rule published in the Federal Register on September 16, 1987, by the Department of Health and Human Services, relating to eligibility for the health care services of the Indian Health Service until the Indian Health Service has submitted a budget request reflecting the increased costs associated with the proposed final rule, and such request has been included in an appropriations Act and enacted into law: Provided further. That funds made available in this Act are to be apportioned to the Indian Health Service as appropriated in this Act, and accounted for in the appropriation structure set forth in this Act: Provided further. That the appropriation structure for the Indian Health Service may not be altered
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