The state of South Dakota is spending at least $4 million a year to cover Medicaid costs forIndian Health Service patients.

The state picks up the tab when the IHS refers people to outside providers. The Federal Medical Assistance Percentages formula returns about 62 percent of the money to the state.

"We feel the federal government should pay 100 percent of those costs," Social Services Secretary Deb Bowman told state lawmakers, The Mitchell Daily Republic reported.

South Dakota, North Dakota and Arizona sued the Department of Health and Human Services in hopes of recovering the full amount. But the states have lost decisions that were based on a provision in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Get the Story:
State treasury must help pay for what Indian Health Service doesn’t provide (The Mitchell Daily Republic 7/11)
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State loses case over Indian Health Care Improvement Act (12/4)