Sterling Small – Program Manager
Shawna Hotch – Finance Officer
Brian Sanders – Tribal Sponsorship Representative
Brooke Whitewolf – Tribal Assister
Current Participants
Welcome!
Congratulations, your enrollment into a tribally sponsored marketplace insurance plan is complete. The Tribal Premium Sponsorship Program (“TPSP”) is buying health insurance coverage for you through the Health Insurance Marketplace (“Marketplace”). Health coverage helps pay for provider services, medications, and special equipment that IHS does not. It does not pay for everything, but you will continue to be eligible for all services at IHS. You will need to stay in touch in the future to keep your Marketplace account up to date. You will continue to receive information from the Marketplace, Blue Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”), and TPSP throughout the year. You will receive an information packet from BCBS with insurance cards within the next few weeks. Your coverage will start between two and six weeks after you sign up.
Getting Care
When you signed the TPSP agreement, you agreed to continue to use IHS services whenever possible. Be sure to present your health insurance member ID card every time you get health care services. Make sure to bring your member ID card when traveling. You may receive auto-generated bills for your premium due to your insurer, please disregard it. TPSP will pay the premium, and all premiums so long as you are enrolled in TPSP. After you get services, your insurer will send you and Explanation of Benefits to show you how much your insurance plan paid. This is not a bill. **Please remember, if you sign up for a dental or vision plan, you must pay your premiums on your own on the Health Insurance Marketplace. TPSP will not pay dental or vision premiums.**
Getting Referrals
You may still need to get referrals for care outside of IHS from TPSP. Without the referral, you may be billed for part of the service you get. Getting referrals prior to seeking care outside of IHS helps the Northern Cheyenne IHS to receive extra monies, thus helping your community.
Report Life Changes
You will need to update your information on the Marketplace each year the program continues. TPSP will contact you in the fall to update your application and get any documents that are needed.
You MUST report a change immediately when you:
- Get health coverage through a job or program (Medicare or Medicaid)
- Get married or divorced
- Have a child, adopt a child, or place a child for adoption, gain or lose a dependent, or become pregnant
- Have a change in income or employment status
- Change your address
- Have a change in disability status
- Other changes to report: change in tax filing status; incarceration or release from incarceration; change in status as an AI/AN or tribal affiliation; correction to name or Social Security Number
Filing Taxes
A new tax credit may be paying or some of the cost of your premium. Your Marketplace eligibility results letter will show you if you got a tax credit.
If you received a premium tax credit, you must file taxes.
Please keep the IRS Form 1095-A: Health Insurance Marketplace Statement you get in the mail at tax time. The envelope will say “Important Tax or Health Coverage Information Inside.” You need to file your taxes.
Contact the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Premium Sponsorship Program at:
(406) 477-6722, (406) 477-4997, or (406) 477-4921,
to find out if you are eligible for private insurance at no cost to you.