IHS Trust Responsibility: Yoder & Langford continues work on strengthening an enforceable trust responsibility in the provision of health care for Indians. IHS has defended several recent cases arguing that tribes have no legal right to enforce trust responsibilities for health care.
General Welfare Exclusion: With the passage of Internal Revenue Code Section 139E, we are working on many general welfare ordinance and tribal member program revisions. Tribes who have not yet amended their codes and programs to meet Code Section 139E will want to consider changes as soon as possible.
Mr. Yoder assists with the Tribal Treasury Advisory Committee (TTAC) on efforts to secure favorable tribal guidance. Mr. Yoder currently serves on the General Welfare Exclusion and Tax Parity subcommittees of the TTAC.
White Mountain Apache Tribe v. Scalia, U.S. Department of Labor: Yoder & Langford represents the White Mountain Apache Tribe in litigation seeking to ensure that "essential governmental functions" and "commercial activities" under the Pension Protection Act are defined with tribal input through meaningful consultation on a government-to-government basis. The case is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. More details to come.
The firm was founded in 1997 to serve tribal government clients with regard to benefits law, health care and taxation issues. The firm works on self-governance and self determination issues and remains actively involved with national efforts to strengthen sovereignty through consultation, legislation, policy and regulatory reform.
SELF GOVERNANCE AND SOVEREIGNTY
Gila River Indian Community v. Becerra / Indian Health Services: Yoder & Langford serves as counsel in contract support cost actions pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and in the Arizona District Court.
Contract Support Costs / United States Supreme Court: Yoder & Langford has participated in amicus filings in the Supreme Court, filed February 20, 2024, in support of Tribal rights to secure contract support costs on third party revenues.
current lITIGATION and regulatory projects
tribal law
Yoder & Langford focuses on tribal government issues. We advise our tribal clients on tax law, trust matters, employee benefits programs and health care issues in a manner that coordinates federal regulation with tribal sovereignty.
Redding Rancheria v. Burwell / Indian Health Services: Yoder & Langford represented the Redding Rancheria of California in litigation in the DC District Court, in which Redding successfully preserved the ability of the Tribe to coordinate federally funded health care programs under ISDEAA with tribal self-insurance. The DC District Court ruled in favor of the Redding Rancheria, confirming that tribes and tribal self-insurance programs have payer of last resort rights, and may coordinate care to secure better discounts and maintain CHEF coverage.
pension & benefits
We advise and assist clients on the design and administration of retirement plans, retiree medical trusts, governmental excess benefit arrangements, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, and welfare benefit programs.
YODER & LANGFORD, P.C.
8175 East Evans Road, #13598, Scottsdale AZ 85267
602 808-9578
tribal LAW pension & benefits
health care law TAX COMPLIANCE
SELF-GOVERNANCE IGRA TRUSTS
Keep Informed: Client resources that will help you stay ahead of changing compliance regulations.