The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) remind you of your responsibilities to protect IHS-approved purchased/referred care (PRC) program patients from improper bills and collection on improper bills under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
The IHS reiterates that the IHCIA prohibits medical providers, suppliers, or billers from holding approved PRC program patients liable for any costs or charges associated with the provision of the approved health care services.This includes co-pays and deductibles. Providers and suppliers must seek payment from all alternate resources first, then the provider or supplier may submit a bill to the PRC program. Providers and suppliers are prohibited from collecting any payments for these services from the patient, whether directly or through referral to an agent for collection. This includes but is not limited to any balance remaining on the original bill after Medicaid or the PRC program has made payment.
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