AMERICAN NATIVES AFFORDABLE HEALTH OPTION
MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN EMPLOYEES
Another reason the Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) makes sense for native employees. If native employees choose to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) through the Health Insurance Marketplace, they may qualify for special benefits and protections offered to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
- QHP will eliminate cost for deductibles, co-pays and office visits
- Eligible to qualify for a higher subsidy /tax credit
- Enroll anytime with a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
Offering traditional group coverage to native American employees, may be a disservice. Group coverage makes native employees exempt from acquiring their own individual health insurance on the exchange, which in most cases will provide more coverage with less out-of-pocket.
More than half of all Native Americans and Alaska Natives live in just seven states (Alaska, North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, California, and Arizona). Of those states, North Carolina, Texas, and Oklahoma have not expanded Medicaid. Across just those three states, there are more than one million people in the Medicaid coverage gap. Native Americans will not have additional financial assistance under Medicaid in those States.