Do you need health coverage?
North Dakota Navigators can help you find and enroll in health insurance. Our assisters are local, unbiased, and helping to break down barriers to care. We are trained to understand the details so that you don’t have to, making the enrollment process easier and teaching you how health insurance works. We want all North Dakotans to have better access to healthcare.
Plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace can be a great option for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) enrolled tribal members.
Important Facts about Indian Health Service and Health Insurance
You may be wondering why you should consider getting health insurance when you are eligible for health care from Indian health care programs, including Indian Health Service (IHS), your tribe, or an urban Indian health program. Here are some facts to help answer those questions.
- IHS is not health insurance
- Even people eligible for IHS need insurance
- You’ll pay little or nothing
- Marketplace plans, Medicaid, and CHIP are not welfare
- You can stay with your Indian health clinic, get healthcare somewhere else, or both
- You won’t have to wait to sign up
- Indian Trust income won’t stop you from qualifying for Medicaid or CHIP
- Medicaid estate recovery doesn’t apply to your Indian Trust property
- Even though health care is a treaty right, you should till get insurance – additional Marketplace tax credits and cost sharing provides additional health care options that are supported by federal funds
Marketplace rules for AI/AN members to qualify for Premium Tax Credits and unique Zero or Low Cost-Share Plans
- Enrolled member of any 574 of Federally Recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes
- Income above the Medicaid eligibility line (138% FPL – see chart below)
- Parents of children eligible for CHIP only
- Enrollment is available year-round (not limited to Open or Special Enrollment Periods).
Below are things that could make your family ineligible for Premium Tax Credit Savings. You family may still qualify for cost-share plans
Eligible for Medicaid = NOT eligible for premium tax credits (PTCs) for Marketplace plans.
Offer from an Employer = May not be eligible for PTCs (depends on cost) / affordability % (9.14%) (Navigators can help calculate affordability)
Eligible for Medicare = NOT eligible to enroll in Marketplace insurance plans (in most cases) – Can not get PTCs or Low/Zero Cost Share plans.
Zero Cost-Sharing plans
The highlighted yellow area in the graphic above shows the income range for AI/AN to qualify for Zero Cost-Sharing plans on the Marketplace.
- Members can visit any clinic that accepts their insurance plan for preventive and essential health benefits care. Purchased Referred Care (PRC) referral is not needed
- Cost for preventive and essential benefits health care is covered 100% by insurance
- With Premium Tax Credits, zero cost share plan holders will have $0 monthly Premiums
Premiums: $0
Copays: $0
Coinsurance: 0%
Deductibles: $0
Limited Cost-Sharing plans
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- For incomes at 400% and above the FPL, AI/AN members may qualify for Limited Cost-Sharing plans.
- Need a PRC referral from IHS for costs to be fully covered by insurance carrier (req. Silver Plan)
- May be eligible for Premium Tax Credits to reduce monthly costs (based on income), but will have $0 out of pocket costs with referrals
Premiums: Based on Income
Copays: $0
Coinsurance: 0%
Deductibles: $0
$0 costs based on getting a PRC referral for health care outside of IHS
If your income falls below 138% FPL, your family will likely qualify for Medicaid Expansion. If you don’t, you may enroll in a Limited Cost-Sharing plan.
Members can still use IHS if and when they want to. Your Marketplace Health Insurance plan (not IHS) will pay for cost of care no matter which clinic you choose. This leaves more money in your community’s IHS budget for those who don’t have other insurance options.
The Marketplace and North Dakota Medicaid should NOT count income from:
- Per capita payments from a tribe that come from natural resources, usage rights, leases, or royalties
- Payments from natural resources, farming, ranching, fishing, leases, or royalties from land designated as Indian trust land by the Department of Interior (including reservations and former reservations):
- Money from selling items that have cultural significance
For assistance with enrolling in health insurance, contact one of our Tribal Liaisons in your area, or contact the ND Navigator for your area.
Shawn Lisa Charging
Certified Navigator,
Tribal Liaison
701-858-3602
Shawn.Charging@MinotStateU.edu
Zachery King
Certified Navigator,
Tribal Liaison
701-858-3601
Zachery.King@MinotStateU.edu
For more information about affordable healthcare plans or to request enrollment assistance, call us at 1-800-233-1737
or locally at 701-858-3580.
You can also email us at: NDNavigators@MinotStateU.edu
Health Insurance Marketplace
This grant is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,049,340 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS or the U.S. Government.