Federal Government Transfers Alaska Native Medical Center to Tribal Ownership After Decades of Advocacy
The Indian Health Service (IHS) has officially transferred ownership of the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC), the state's largest tribal hospital, to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). This transfer, completed on August 24, is the culmination of decades of advocacy by Alaska tribal leaders, according to ANTHC CEO Natasha Singh. Singh, a Stevens Village tribal citizen, emphasized that this marks a historic achievement in advancing tribal self-determination in healthcare. The transfer will enable ANMC to access funding opportunities exclusively available to tribally-owned facilities, which was not possible under federal ownership. Singh noted that the hospital had endured decades of underinvestment from the federal government. While ANMC is now tribally owned, the IHS continues to own other tribal health facilities in Alaska, including Kanakanak Hospital, Maniilaq Health Center, Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center, and Norton Sound Regional Hospital.