Native American Services

Health services provided within the scope of our medical and dental facilities are available at little or no cost for American Indians/Alaskan Natives of a federally recognized tribe. To qualify for these direct services, you must meet eligibility requirements and provide supporting documentation. Individuals must meet one of the following criteria:

• Enrollment in a Federally Recognized Tribe.
• Native American from California (CA Judgement Rolls recognition, CA native with BIA card).
• Are not members of a federally recognized tribe but are the natural born or adopted child, stepchild, foster child, legal ward, or orphan of an eligible Native American Indian.
  • Non-Indians who reach the age 19 will no longer be considered eligible.
• Are non-Indian pregnant woman with an eligible Indian’s child for the duration of her pregnancy, and through post-partum.

All supporting documentation, including Tribal ID, birth certificate(s) supporting lineal descent, proof of residency, and alternate resources (if applicable), must be provided before eligibility can be verified. If you meet one of the requirements above, please contact our PRC department, which handles all native eligibility and benefits at 209-928-5400, Ext. 114 or 155, to discuss further.

We encourage all patients to access all other insurances/resources available to them, including Medi-Cal, Covered California, Medicare, or private insurance. Assistance in applying for these insurances is available through our outreach department.

Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) is a program for American Indians who meet additional eligibility requirements and is available for services not provided at the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Indian Health Center (TMWIHC), including radiology testing, emergent/urgent care, or medical specialists. To apply for these services, individuals must meet the following requirements:

• Is a member of a California federally recognized tribe
• Lives within Tuolumne County
• Has current/active alternate insurance

Individuals considered PRC eligible must obtain a referral from their TMWIHC primary care provider prior to receiving outside medical or dental care. For ER visits, individuals must provide PRC Department notice within 72 hours of services rendered. Referrals do not guarantee payment by PRC. Referred services must be within TMWIHC’s approved levels of care, including but not limited to:

1. Emergent or Acutely Urgent Care
2. Preventative Services
3. Primary and Secondary Care

PRC is the payor of last resort – meaning eligible individuals must provide all alternate insurance for which they are actively enrolled before PRC can be authorized for payment.

Please contact our PRC department, which handles all native eligibility and benefits at 209-928-5400, Ext. 114 or 155, for further information.