Authors: National Council of Urban Indian Health

Publication Year: 2017

Last Updated: 2018-02-01

Journal: NCUIH

Keywords: Urban Indian Health Care, NCUIH, American Indian/Alaskan Native, AI/AN, Urban Indian Health Program, UIHP

Abstract:

What is the federal government’s trust responsibility for Indian health care?

Under the law, tribal governments are treated as “domestic dependent nations”—similar to states in terms of sovereignty but with a trust obligation from the federal government. The federal government is considered to be the trustee with responsibility for the 567 federally-recognized tribes.

The trust responsibility means that the government has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of Tribes and American Indians / Native Alaskans (AI/AN). That responsibility is not restricted to the borders of reservations, and it includes issues related to health care.

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