Senate confirms Mark Cruz as Indian Health Service director2 sources

The Senate confirmed Mark Cruz as director of the Indian Health Service on August 7, following President Donald Trump’s June nomination. Trump has since signed the commission granting Cruz the role, according to an August 21 news release. Cruz, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, now leads the agency responsible for federal healthcare services for Native Americans. This confirmation ends a period of acting leadership, ensuring the IHS operates under a confirmed director. The appointment marks a significant personnel shift within the administration’s health portfolio, solidifying the chain of command for the critical healthcare provider.

VA raises Oracle EHRM contract ceiling to nearly $27 billion

The Department of Veterans Affairs has raised the ceiling on its contract with Oracle for electronic health record modernization to nearly $27 billion. This adjustment significantly expands the financial scope of the ongoing IT overhaul, which aims to replace legacy systems across the nation’s largest healthcare network. The increased cap reflects the evolving requirements and scale of the digital transformation initiative. Oracle remains the primary vendor executing this complex infrastructure project. The contract ceiling change marks a critical financial milestone in the administration’s effort to streamline veteran medical data management and improve care delivery through modernized technology solutions.

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