WASHINGTON – Unless the definition of Indian in the Affordable Care Act is changed, many American Indians and Alaska Natives will not be eligible for the special protections and benefits intended for them in the law. These benefits include cost-sharing and monthly enrollment benefits. The “Definitions of Indian” in the Affordable Care Act are not consistent with the definitions already used by the Indian Health Service (IHS), Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) for services provided to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
So, Senator Mark Begich, D-Alaska, with Senator Max Baucus, D-Montana, Senator Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Senator Al Franken, D-Minnesota, and Senator Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, introduced a bill in the US Senate (S.1575) that would streamline the Definition of Indian in the Affordable Care Act. This is an important first step in ensuring that all American Indians and Alaska Natives receive the benefits and protections intended for them in the Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act definitions, which currently require that a person is a member of a federally recognized Tribe or an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) corporation, are narrower than those used by IHS, Medicaid and CHIP, thereby leaving out a sizeable population of American Indians and Alaska Natives that the Affordable Care Act was intended to benefit and protect.
National Indian Health Board Chair Cathy Abramson said,“On behalf of the 566 Tribal nations we serve, the National Indian Health Board would like to express the deepest gratitude to Senators Begich and Baucus for introducing this important legislation. This bill will help to create parity in the American Indian and Alaska Native community with respect to provisions contained in the Affordable Care Act. If enacted, this measure will ensure that everyone is eligible to receive the protections and benefits that are designed to enhance health care access for all American Indians and Alaska Natives.”
The “Definitions of Indian” bill will also create statutory language to guarantee that American Indians and Alaska Natives are not subjected to tax penalties for not having insurance, even though they are eligible for Indian health care programs.
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"WASHINGTON: ""Kama ufafanuzi wa Wahindi katika Sheria ya Huduma ya Affordable haubadilishwa, Wahindi wengi wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska hawatakuwa na haki ya kupata ulinzi maalum na faida zilizopangwa kwa ajili yao katika sheria." Faida hizi ni pamoja na kushiriki gharama na faida za uandikishaji wa kila mwezi. "Ufafanuzi wa ""Wahindi"" katika Sheria ya Huduma ya Affordable haufanani na ufafanuzi uliotumiwa tayari na Huduma ya Afya ya Wahindi (IHS), Medicaid na Mpango wa Bima ya Afya ya Watoto (CHIP) kwa huduma zinazotolewa kwa Wahindi wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska." Seneta Mark Begich, D-Alaska, na Seneta Max Baucus, D-Montana, Seneta Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Seneta Al Franken, D-Minnesota, na Seneta Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, waliwasilisha muswada katika Seneti ya Marekani (S. 1575) ambao ungefanya ufafanuzi wa Huduma ya India katika Sheria ya Affordable. Hii ni hatua muhimu ya kwanza katika kuhakikisha kwamba Wahindi wote wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska wanapata faida na ulinzi unaolenga kwao katika Sheria ya Huduma ya Affordable. Sheria ya Affordable Care Act (ACA) inahitaji mtu kuwa mwanachama wa kabila linalotambuliwa na serikali ya shirikisho au shirika la Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), na ni nyembamba kuliko zile zinazotumiwa na IHS, Medicaid na CHIP, na hivyo kuacha idadi kubwa ya Wahindi wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska ambao Sheria ya Affordable Care ilikusudiwa kufaidika na kulinda. "Kama Mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Afya ya Kitaifa ya India, Cathy Abramson, alisema, ""Kwa niaba ya mataifa 566 ya kabila tunayowahudumia, Bodi ya Afya ya Kitaifa ya India inataka kuelezea shukrani ya kina kwa Seneta Begich na Baucus kwa kuanzisha sheria hii muhimu." Sheria hiyo itasaidia kuunda usawa katika jamii ya Wahindi wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska kuhusiana na masharti yaliyo katika Sheria ya Huduma ya Affordable. "Kama itafanywa, hatua hii itahakikisha kwamba kila mtu ana haki ya kupokea ulinzi na faida ambazo zimekusudiwa kuboresha upatikanaji wa huduma za afya kwa Wahindi wote wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska. ""Sheria ya ufafanuzi wa Wahindi pia itaunda lugha ya kisheria kuhakikisha kwamba Wahindi wa Amerika na Wenyeji wa Alaska hawafanyiwa adhabu ya kodi kwa kutokuwa na bima, hata ingawa wanastahili programu za huduma za afya za Wahindi." Kupata makala zaidi kama hii juu ya Native News NetworkTags: ufafanuzi wa Hindi