What is the Indian Health Service (IHS)?

The Indian Health Services (IHS) is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive health services to Native Americans. The IHS is the main federal health care provider for federally-recognized tribes.[3398] IHS is not a health insurance provider. IHS provides healthcare services through its hospitals, centers, and clinics.[3399] IHS services are typically only to eligible Alaska Native and American Indians, unless one of the limited exceptions for non-Indians (discussed below) applies.[3400]

  1. 3398

    https://www.ihs.gov/aboutihs/overview/

  2. 3399

    https://www.ihs.gov/findhealthcare/

  3. 3400

    Indian Health Manual, Ch. 1 Eligibility for Services, Section 2-1.2, https://www.ihs.gov/IHM/pc/part-2/p2c1/#2-1.2.