How to Access Indian Health Service (IHS) Care

The Indian Health Service, often called IHS, is a federal health program that provides medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health care to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages. For many Native American elders, IHS is the main source of doctor visits, prescription refills, eye exams, hearing aids, and diabetes care. The care is provided at no direct cost to eligible patients, though some elders also carry Medicare or Medicaid to expand the network of providers they can see.

IHS runs about 600 hospitals, clinics, and health stations across 37 states, mostly on or near reservations. In addition, urban Indian health programs serve Native people living in cities like Phoenix, Albuquerque, Tulsa, Seattle, and Minneapolis. Some tribes also operate their own clinics under what is called a 638 contract, which means the tribe runs the clinic with IHS funding. From the patient's point of view, the process to register is similar at all three types of sites.

Getting set up for the first time has three parts. First, you prove your tribal enrollment with a document called a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood, or CDIB, plus a tribal membership card. Second, you register in person at the closest IHS or tribal clinic, where staff will create your patient chart and assign you a primary care provider. Third, you sign up for the online patient portal so you can refill prescriptions, message your doctor, and view lab results from home.

This guide walks through each part in plain language and points to phone numbers and websites you can trust. You will also learn how IHS works alongside Medicare and Medicaid, what to do when you need a specialist who is not on staff, and how to handle billing questions if you ever get a bill that should not have been sent. Plan about 45 minutes for the first visit to the clinic, and another 15 minutes at home to set up the portal.