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How to Become a Patient

Become a Patient

Reno Sparks Tribal Health Center provides comprehensive healthcare services to eligible American Indians and Alaska Natives. New patients must complete an application process (patient registration) and provide required documents to establish their eligibility.

Required documents for new patient registration include

Proof of enrollment or descendancy from a Federally Recognized Tribe

Birth Certificate for patients under 18 years old

Photo Identification (if patient is a minor, the parent/guardian’s ID)

Insurance card(s): Medicare, Medicaid, Private Insurance etc.

Proof of Residency (Purchased Referred Care eligible patients only)

Reno Sparks Tribal Health Center (RSTHC) patients are categorized into two levels of eligibility: Purchased and Referred Care (PRC) or Direct Care Only (DCO).

The eligibility coordinators at RSTHC will review your registration packet and determine whether you are eligible for Direct Care Only (eligible to receive services at RSTHC) or for Purchased and Referred Care (eligible to receive services at RSTHC and or payment for referrals to an outside provider).

It is very important that your eligibility information remain current and you will be asked to verify your information at every visit. Please notify RSTHC if your information changes (address, phone number, insurance coverage, etc.)

Indian Health Services requires Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center to make sure your information is updated yearly. RSTHC can end your PRC eligibility if information isn’t current. IHS is a primary source of funding for RSTHC, making up approximately half of the operating budget each year. To address shortfalls in congressional funding, RSTHC and other tribal, urban, and IHS programs must rely on resources, such as private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid, to meet the level of need.

The RSTHC Benefits Coordinators can be reached at 775-329-5162.

The patient benefits coordination department assists patients applying for alternate resources such as Medicaid, Nevada Check Up, Medicare, disability, and other resource programs including the food stamp program and energy assistance.

Patient benefits coordinators are available to assist patients with alternate resource applications and submit applications to the appropriate agency on behalf of our patients. In addition, home visits can be made to accommodate homebound patients.

In addition, we offer a Tribal Sponsorship program in coordination with the Nevada Health Link for individuals who may be over-income for Medicaid yet too young to qualify for Medicare. Contact our Patient Benefits Program to see if you qualify.

Direct Care Only (DCO) Requirements:

  • Any enrolled tribal member or descendent of an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe
  • Be registered for services at RSTHC
  • Provide required documents
  • Must enroll for alternative resource (insurance) if applicable, such as: Medicaid and/or tribal sponsorship plans as available
  • Eligible to receive services at RSTHC ONLY

Purchased & Referred Care (PRC) Requirements:

  • Be registered for services at RSTHC
  • Provide required documents
  • Enrolled member or descendant of a Nevada Tribe (Washoe, Paiute or Shoshone) residing in the following RSTHC PRC Delivery Area:
    • Crystal Bay, Hungry Valley, Incline Village, Lemmon Valley, Reno, Spanish Springs, Sparks, Stead Air Force Base, Sun Valley
  • Enrolled member or descendant of a federally recognized tribe and maintains a close economic or social tie with the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (married to a Nevada Tribal Member or employed by the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony)
  • • Enrolled member or descendant of a federally recognized tribe residing on a reservation located within the PRCDA (Reno-Sparks Indian Colony or Hungry Valley reservation)
  • • Student and/or Transient (PRC eligible and a full-time student outside RSTHC’s PRCDA or PRC eligible and working outside PRCDA)
  • • Other persons outside PRCDA (PRC eligible but moves away from PRCDA, patient is covered for 180 days from departure)
  • • Foster Children (PRC eligible child placed in foster care outside of RSTHC’s PRCDA)
  • • Non-Indian pregnant woman with an eligible AI/AN child (limitations apply, please contact our Referral Department for more information)
  • • Must enroll for an alternative resource (insurance) if applicable, such as: Medicaid and/or tribal sponsorship plans as available
  • • Eligible to receive services outside of RSTHC with APPROVED referral from RSTHC Provider

Purchase & Referred Care (PRC)

The Purchase & Referred Care (PRC) Program is for medical or dental care provided away from our facility. PRC is for services provided by doctors and hospitals that the RSTHC is unable to provide. To learn more, visit the IHS.gov – Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) page.

PRC is utilized in situations where: 

  • No tribal or Indian Health Service (IHS) direct care facility exists.
  • The IHS or tribal direct care facility cannot provide the required emergency and/or specialty care.  
  • A patient’s alternate resource(s) is not enough to cover the total required care. See below for an explanation of “alternate resources.” 
  • The service is determined to be within established medical/dental priorities.

PRC is utilized in situations where: 

  • An entitlement program
  • An insurance program
  • An established benefit program
  • Purchased & Referred Care (PRC) is provided to eligible American Indians/Alaskan Natives who maintain close social and economic ties with the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and residing in the RSTHC PRC service delivery area as follows:
    • Member of a Nevada Tribe or a Descendant of a Nevada Tribal member
    • Member or descendant of the federally recognized tribe and married to a Nevada tribal member
    • Member of a federally recognized tribe and working for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
    • Member of a federally recognized tribe and living on a reservation in Nevada (within RSTHC PRCDA)
    • Services will be made available to non-Indian women pregnant with an eligible Indian child (pregnancy through 6 weeks postpartum)
    • Services to non-Indians of an eligible Indian household if the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Chief Medical Director determines it is necessary to control an acute infectious disease or if it presents a public health hazard.
    • Children under the age of 19 years, who are the natural or adopted child, step-child, foster-child, legal ward, or orphan of an eligible Indian, as amended under Section 813 of the Indian Healthcare Improvement Act, P.L. 94-437.