Notice2025-21314

Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund (CHEF) Threshold

Primary source

Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.

Published
November 26, 2025

Issuing agencies

Health and Human Services DepartmentIndian Health Service

Abstract

This notice announces the Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund (CHEF) threshold established at $19,095 for Fiscal Year 2025 CHEF requests.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 226 (Wednesday, November 26, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 26, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 54333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-21314]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service


Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund (CHEF) Threshold

AGENCY: Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund 
(CHEF) threshold established at $19,095 for Fiscal Year 2025 CHEF 
requests.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Indian Health Service (IHS) administers 
the CHEF pursuant to section 202 of the Indian Health Care Improvement 
Act (IHCIA). The purpose of the CHEF is to meet the extraordinary 
medical costs associated with the treatment of victims of disasters or 
catastrophic illnesses who are within the responsibility of the 
Service. The CHEF was established by section 202 of the IHCIA, Public 
Law 94-437 (25 U.S.C. 1621a). The Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act, Public Law 111-148, as amended by the Health Care and 
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Public Law 111-152 (collectively, 
the Affordable Care Act or ``the ACA''), reauthorized the IHCIA and 
amended the CHEF, directing the Secretary to promulgate regulations 
governing the administration of the CHEF. The final CHEF regulation 
(2024-19421 (89 FR 70527)) was published on August 30, 2024, in the 
Federal Register, establishing the threshold cost of $19,000 for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2024. See 42 CFR 136.503(a). The threshold amount in 
subsequent years is calculated from the threshold amount of the 
previous year, and increased by the percentage increase in the medical 
care expenditure category of the Consumer Price Index for all urban 
consumers (United States city average) for the 12-month period ending 
with December of the previous year. See 42 CFR 136.503(b). The Consumer 
Price Index is released monthly. For FY 2025, ``December of the 
previous year'' is December 2023, because December 2024 is part of FY 
2025. The ``12-month period ending with December of the previous year'' 
is therefore December 2022 to December 2023. The medical care 
expenditure category for this 12-month period was 0.5%, thereby 
increasing the threshold to $19,095 for FY 2025 CHEF requests.

    Dated: October 30, 2025.
P. Benjamin Smith,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-21314 Filed 11-25-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4166-14-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on November 26, 2025.

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