Hospitals to take Medicare payments for Indian Health Service
Wed. June 06, 2007
The Indian Health Service will be able to purchase more health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives under an agreement announced Tuesday by the federal government.
The agreement means hospitals must now accept Medicare levels of reimbursement for services contracted by the IHS, according to Brenda Jeanotte-Smith, contract health services director for IHS in Bethesda, Md.
"Many of your providers didn't want to accept Medicare and we had to pay full charges in most cases," Jeanotte-Smith said Tuesday in a telephone interview.
IHS has been trying for about 20 years to have health services that it contracts out reimbursed at the lower Medicare rates. IHS serves about 1.2 million people, including members of the Yakama Nation.
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Lead from 2 beads Correspondent Teresa Anahuy
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June 2007 Reports
Last updated on June 06, 2007