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American Indians Exempted from CHIP Copayments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 1999
Contact: Paul Orbuch, (303) 623-9378 or
Judy Edwards, Utah Dept. of Health, 801-538-9432
| DENVER--The Western Governors’ Association today
announced a successful conclusion to negotiations with the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services that will exempt American Indians and Alaska Native children from
copayments under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The exemption will
apply to health care received at Indian Health Service or tribal facilities. The decision
was announced by Andy Hyman, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at DHHS, during a
meeting of the National Congress of American Indians in Palm Springs, Calif. "I am pleased that the Western Governors’ Association could team up with the Western Indian Tribes to secure this important policy decision for the benefit of American Indian children," said Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt. "I commend Secretary Shalala for responding quickly to remove this troublesome financial barrier to needed medical care for these children." The Western Summit on Indian Health Care was founded six years ago by Rod Betit, Executive Director at the Utah Department of Health, to help improve health care quality and access for American Indians. Summit participants include tribal, state and federal health representatives. "Indian children experience more health problems than other children in this country," Betit said. "Removing this barrier from accessing needed medical care is a major step forward to improving their health status. The Western governors and tribal leaders worked together to make this happen." In 1998, at the Fifth Annual Western Summit, a consensus was reached on eliminating copayments and was forwarded to WGA. Gov. Leavitt and Arizona Gov. Jane Dee Hull, WGA’s co-leads for Indian Health, sponsored a resolution supporting the consensus, and it was adopted unanimously. The WGA resolution was referred to DHHS Secretary Donna Shalala for her consideration. State and tribal participants strongly encouraged DHHS to make a timely response to the request for the elimination of copayments, which they have done with this decision. The WGA will continue to address additional concerns raised at the Western Summit and in the WGA resolution and will facilitate the necessary dialog to resolve the issues. The Western Governors’ Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 18 states, two territories and one commonwealth. Through their association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management.
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