Contract Health

Program

• Contract Health is a payer of last resort of medical expenses for American Indian/Alaska Native patients requiring referred service to a provider outside of Benewah Medical Center
• We assist patients with the application process for other Federal and State assistance programs

Services

• Establish eligibility for Contract Health Service
• Process patient referrals from Benewah Medical Center Primary Care providers to Specialists in North Idaho and Spokane
• Require patients to apply for alternate resources they may be eligible for such as, Medicaid, Social Security Disability, and private insurances
• Provide payment for approved medical services
• Ensure appropriate use of Emergency Rooms by medical review

Interesting Facts

• Indian Health Service guidelines must be followed to pay for medical expenses
• There are 1,800 Contract Health eligible patients
• CHS processes 500 referrals per month for Medical, Dental, and Substance Abuse services
• In 2010, CHS processed almost 5,900 purchase orders

Staff

The Contract Health Department is committed to advocate for CHS eligible Native patients to access medical care and maximize the budget provided for those services.