Title 25 — IndiansRelease 119-73
§1621u Liability for payment
Title 25 › Chapter CHAPTER 18— - INDIAN HEALTH CARE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - HEALTH SERVICES › § 1621u
Summary
Patients who get contract care that the Service approved owe nothing for those services. Within 5 business days of a provider’s claim, the Secretary must notify both the provider and the patient. After that notice, or if the claim is accepted under section 1621s(b), the provider cannot seek payment from the patient.
Full Legal Text
Title 25, §1621u
Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)A patient who receives contract health care services that are authorized by the Service shall not be liable for the payment of any charges or costs associated with the provision of such services.
(b)The Secretary shall notify a contract care provider and any patient who receives contract health care services authorized by the Service that such patient is not liable for the payment of any charges or costs associated with the provision of such services not later than 5 business days after receipt of a notification of a claim by a provider of contract care services.
(c)Following receipt of the notice provided under subsection (b), or, if a claim has been deemed accepted under section 1621s(b) of this title, the provider shall have no further recourse against the patient who received the services.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Amendment by Pub. L. 111–148 is based on section 135 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.
Amendments
2010—Pub. L. 111–148 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to absence of patient liability for payment of charges or costs for contract health care services and requirement that Secretary notify contract care provider and patient of absence of patient’s liability.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Rule of
Construction
Pub. L. 116–260, div. BB, title I, § 102(d)(3), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2797, provided that: “Nothing in this title [probably means “this section”, enacting section 9816 and 9822 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, section 1185e and 1185k of Title 29, Labor, and section 300gg–111 and 300gg–117 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, amending section 8902 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, section 223 of Title 26, and section 300gg–19a, 300gg–21, 300gg–22, 300gg–23, and 18011 of Title 42, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 8902 of Title 5 and section 223 of Title 26], including the
Amendments
made by this title [probably means “this section”] may be construed as modifying, reducing, or eliminating— “(A) the protections under section 222 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1621u) and under subpart I of part 136 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
(or any successor regulation), against payment liability for a patient who receives contract health services that are authorized by the Indian Health Service; or “(B) the requirements under section 1866(a)(1)(U) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(1)(U)).”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
25 U.S.C. § 1621u
Title 25 — Indians
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73