The Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148, allows certain Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to purchase health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program for their employees. The Office of Personnel Management administers the program, but the tribes or tribal organizations purchase the insurance for their employees and must pay at least 70 percent of the premium. The employees pay the rest.
S. 279 would allow tribal grant schools (as defined by the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988) to participate in that arrangement. Because the schools would be paying the employer share of the premiums for FEHB health insurance for their employees, enacting the bill would not affect the federal budget.
