Authors: Indian Health Service

Publication Year: 2007

Last Updated: 2016-04-12

Journal: I.H.S. Agency Report

Keywords: IHS, HHS, American Indians, Alaska Natives, UIHP, HIV, AIDS, Budget, GAO, Government Accountability Office, Report to Congress

Abstract: 

The Indian Health Service (IHS), part of HHS, provides or arranges health care services, including HIV/AIDS treatment, to eligible American Indians and Alaska Natives.4 It provided or arranged services for a projected 1.5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives in fiscal year 2007, across 12 federally designated areas that cover all or part of 35 states. Services are provided through IHS-funded facilities, including those operated by IHS, those operated by tribes, and Urban Indian Health Program (UIHP) facilities or through contracts with outside providers.5 Our prior work found gaps in the health care services IHS provided for American Indians and Alaska Natives that, in some cases, hindered American Indians and Alaska Natives from obtaining needed services.6 In addition to IHS, American Indians and Alaska Natives with HIV/AIDS may also receive care through other sources depending on their access to private health insurance; their eligibility for other federal health care programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid; or their eligibility for services provided by entities because access to HIV/AIDS prevention services can affect the number of American Indians and Alaska Natives who have the disease and there may be variation in the availability of treatment services, you asked us to examine IHSs efforts related to HIV/AIDS. Specifically, we examined the extent to which IHS provides (1) HIV/AIDS prevention services and (2) HIV/AIDS treatment services. We also examined (3) what other HIV/AIDS-related initiatives IHS has undertaken.

Source: Link to Original Article

Source: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-08-90.pdf