Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Office of Medicaid
www.mass.gov/masshealth

Eligibility Operations Memo 11-07
September 1, 2011

TO:	MassHealth Eligibility Operations Staff

FROM:	Amy Andrade, Director of Member and Provider Services

RE:	Exemption from Cost Sharing for American Indians and Alaska Natives from 
	Federally Recognized Tribes
		

Background
Provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 
require MassHealth to waive any cost sharing for American Indians and 
Alaska Natives from federally recognized tribes. American Indians and 
Alaska Natives who currently receive or who have received an item or 
service furnished by the Indian Health Service, an Indian tribe, a tribal
or urban Indian organization, or through referral are exempt from paying 
copayments and premiums as MassHealth members.
		

MA21 Changes
MA21 eligibility will bypass premium billing calculations for applicants 
and members marked as American Indians or Alaska Natives in the NAT 
event.

If the American Indian/Alaska Native indicator is “Y” and the member’s 
person ethnicity code on MMIS eligibility is not AM-IND, MA21 will set 
this code to AM-IND.
		

Copayments
When the person ethnicity code on MMIS is AM-IND, the member will 
not be charged copayments.
		

Questions
If you have any questions about this memo, please have your MEC 
designee contact the Policy Hotline.