U S Government Accountability Office

Indian Health Service U S Government Accountability Office

" IHS provides care to American Indians and Alaska Natives through a system of health care facilities. PPACA provides states the option to expand their Medicaid programs and creates new health care coverage options, including for American Indians and Alaska Natives, beginning in 2014. PPACA also requires GAO to study IHS's coordination with public programs. In this report, GAO (1) estimated the number of American Indians and Alaska Natives potentially eligible for the expanded and new coverage options and (2) reviewed efforts by IHS, CMS, states, tribal organizations, and facilities to promote enrollment of American Indians and Alaska Natives in current programs and expanded and new coverage options, and any challenges associated with their enrollment. To address the objectives, GAO (1) analyzed U. S. Census Bureau data and (2) interviewed IHS and CMS officials and state, facility, and tribal officials from three IHS areas with high levels of uninsured. "