Updated: August 10, 2026
Acentra Health has been processing community provider medical claims for the Veterans Administration Financial Services Center (VA-FSC) since 2017. Community providers are doctors, dentists, labs, facilities, and other healthcare providers not employed or owned by the Veterans Administration.
In October 2022, the VA-FSC agreed to let IHSC use its claims platform and Acentra Health services to process community healthcare provider claims for services to detainees in IHSC custody.
In July 2025, IHSC issued a Request for Information (RFI) to procure its own claims processing system to process community healthcare provider claims for medical services to detainees.
Acentra Health responded to the IHSC claims processing RFI in September 2025 and was awarded a six-month letter contract in October 2025 to implement a claims processing system.
The letter contract was awarded during the initial government shutdown (from October 1, 2025, through November 12, 2025). Because the award was during this shutdown, no dollars were obligated to the contract.
Acentra Health began implementation work at its own financial risk in late October 2025, before receiving payment for that work. This work included establishing technical environments, setting up data services and software configurations, and recruiting and training staff to support the letter contract.
Before funds were obligated to the Acentra Health contract, a second partial government shutdown occurred, specific to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, on February 14, 2026.
The six-month letter contract ended on April 24, 2026, during the DHS funding shutdown.
Without a formal executed contract in place, Acentra Health was required to pause call center operations and implementation activities on April 24, 2026, until an executed letter contract extension and funding authorization from IHSC was received on June 4, 2026. This lack of funding and the lapse in the performance period authority delayed the system implementation.
The DHS funding shutdown ended with the signing of the reconciliation bill on June 10, 2026.
Acentra Health received payment for its work from October 2025–April 2026 on June 16, 2026.
Acentra Health has received no funding to pay provider claims and is awaiting further guidance from ICE/IHSC on the funding details to set up this service for providers. The payment received on June 16, 2026, is only for the work done from October 2025–April 2026 to begin implementing the claims processing system.
Acentra Health responded to a RFI on June 16 to manage the claims processing system and are awaiting the outcome of the RFI process. Re-posting contracting opportunities at this stage is a routine part of how DHS and other federal agencies move new systems from building into full implementation.
Based on information available on the IHSC provider portal (Home - IHSC DHS), claims processing is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of the U.S. Government fiscal year, with an anticipated launch by September 30, 2026. The exact start date is subject to federal timelines and agency authorization.
Updates regarding the provider portal and claims processing timeline will be posted on the IHSC website (Home - IHSC DHS), including the Frequently Asked Questions section.
Acentra Health is a healthcare technology solutions company that partners with federal, state, and commercial clients across all 50 states.
For the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Acentra Health is implementing a claims processing system to process medical claims from community providers. Community providers are doctors, dentists, labs, facilities, and other healthcare providers not employed or owned by IHSC.
Acentra Health has not begun processing claims due to delays in contracting as a result of two government shutdowns impacting ICE. At this time, we are also not under contract to process claims as we await the outcome of the June 16, 2026, RFI process.
If Acentra Health is awarded the contract to process and pay claims, once the system goes live, Acentra Health will not provide medical care or make clinical or coverage decisions for the ICE detainee population or determine whether care is authorized, what treatment is provided, which providers deliver care, or any other aspect of patient care. Once the system is operational, if Acentra Health is awarded the contract to process and pay claims, Acentra Health will process claims on behalf of IHSC submitted for payment after services have already been rendered by community providers.
Claims processing is a financial and administrative function that manages billing workflows between healthcare providers and the government to support accurate reimbursement. It has no role in clinical decision-making, patient care, or healthcare coverage determinations.
For additional context, reference the Acentra Health blog, "Claims & Encounters vs. Medical Decisions: Understanding Acentra Health's Role in Claims & Encounters Processing,” which explains the role of claims processing systems.
*Per Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.603:
“A letter contract is a written preliminary contractual instrument that authorizes the contractor to begin immediately manufacturing supplies or performing services.” (16.603-1) https://www.acquisition.gov/far/16.603-1
“A letter contract may be used when (1) the Government’s interests demand that the contractor be given a binding commitment so that work can start immediately and (2) negotiating a definitive contract is not possible in sufficient time to meet the requirement. However, a letter contract should be as complete and definite as feasible under the circumstances.” (16.603-2(a)) https://www.acquisition.gov/far/16.603-2