Am I eligible for Indian Health Service (IHS)?

The IHS health care system is available for federally-recognized American Indian and Alaska Natives in the United States. Members of 567 federally-recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and their descendants are eligible for services provided by IHS.[3403]

You are eligible for IHS if you are of American Indian descent and belong to an Indian community served by the IHS program.

Non-Indians may also be eligible in certain limited circumstances, including:

    Children (natural or adopted child, stepchild, foster child, legal ward, or orphan) of eligible persons under 19 years of age;
    Spouses of an eligible American Indian, including a same-sex spouse;
    Non-Indian women pregnant with an eligible person’s child for the duration of her pregnancy and through post-partum (usually 6 weeks after delivery). A paternity acknowledgement is required if parents are not married;
    Non-Indian members of an eligible Indian's household IF the medical officer in charge determines that services are necessary to control a public health hazard or an acute infectious disease; and
    Others, such as non-Indian employees and veterans, whom may also be authorized for limited services.[3404]
  1. 3403

    Indian Health Services, Quick Look, https://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/factsheets/quicklook. ↑

  2. 3404

    Indian Health Service, Eligibility for Services, Section 2-1.2(B), https://www.ihs.gov/IHM/pc/part-2/p2c1/#2-1.2 ↑