Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

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Covering Indian Country – August 2022

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent this bulletin at 08/02/2022 05:00 AM EDT

August 2022

Spotlight: Keeping kids healthy

Image of a young student with a backpack and the words, "With health insurance, they’ll be more prepared for whatever the school year brings. #Enroll365."

Kids who are up to date on their routine vaccines and other preventive health services are less likely to miss school because of illness. That’s why having coverage for well-child visits is so important.

Enrollment assisters play a key role in helping American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families get health care coverage. To that end, CMS urges you to make sure households in your community know about the coverage options available through Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Marketplace.

"Healthy kids are better students." — Flyer on InsureKidsNow.gov

Help motivate parents and caregivers to enroll children in insurance by:

Focusing your outreach and education efforts on coverage for preventive services
Highlighting reasons why insurance is recommended (PDF, 1.1 MB, 8 pp) for people eligible to receive health care from IHS, a tribe, or an urban Indian health program

Also, consider sharing the overview of insurance options and benefits available to AI/ANs through CMS programs and the Marketplace (PDF, 1.1 MB, 2 pp).

Additionally, please refer families to CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources webpage for region-specific brochures with information about health care coverage and Indian health facilities.

August: Pediatrics/CHIP/back to school

The August 2022 PSA features a smiling Native child standing outside. Insure a healthy school year! Set your kids up for success by enrolling. Visit InsureKidsNow.gov or call 1-877-KIDS-NOW. Contact your local Indian health care provider, visit Healthcare.gov, or call 1-800-318-2596 for more information.

Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. For more information, please visit CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.

Public service announcements

Share these brief audio clips and videos, available in Native languages and English, on your local radio station, website, and Facebook page.

Soundcloud Audio clips

Youtube Videos

Tweet it

Give kids their best shot at a healthy school year. Enroll them in insurance now.

https://youtu.be/ElF17QlNHz4

#CMSNativeHealth

2022−2023 calendar still available

CMS Tribal Affairs’ 18-month calendar (PDF, 5.7 MB, 44 pp) is still available. This calendar covers January 2022 through June 2023 and features health information, links to excellent resources online, space to note plans applicable to families, and other tools to improve overall wellness.

The information in the calendar can help tribal families take steps toward better control of their health, such as enrolling in health care coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or the Health Insurance Marketplace.

For more information about CMS Tribal Affairs’ outreach materials, visit the CMS Outreach and Education Resources webpage. To order the 2022−2023 calendar or any other outreach materials, please visit the Tribal Products Ordering Page. All materials are free and you may order as many as you need.

Brochures and other resources

A collage of 3 resources:
(1) 10 Important Facts about Indian Health Service and Health Insurance
(2) CMS Programs at a Glance brochure
(3) Medicare Savings Programs brochure

Download these resources or order copies on the Tribal Products Ordering Page. Please allow 2 weeks for your order to be completed.

10 Important Facts about Indian Health Service and Health Insurance (PDF, 1.1 MB, 8 pp) explains why tribal members should sign up for health care coverage.
The updated CMS Programs at a Glance brochure (PDF, 1.1 MB, 2 pp) reviews health care coverage options and benefits specific to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
The new Medicare Savings Programs brochure (PDF, 511 KB, 2 pp) explains how Native people with limited income and assets can get help paying for Medicare.

Health observances

August is National Immunization Awareness Month

Fact sheet titled "Kids and COVID-19 Vaccines: What Parents and Caregivers Need To Know"

An initial COVID-19 vaccination series is now recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Yet the percentage of children who have received that vaccination series remains low.

During National Immunization Awareness Month, help protect children and their families from COVID-19 by sharing 2 new resources from the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health:

Opioid Misuse Prevention Day: August 31

In the weeks leading up to Opioid Misuse Prevention Day, share culturally tailored resources from the WA Tribal Opioid Solutions campaign.

Funded by the Washington State Health Care Authority, the campaign offers:

Additional resources

Workshops for AI/ANs interested in health professions

The National Center for American Indian Health Professions at A.T. Still University invites applications for pre-admissions workshops, to be held September 8−10.

The workshops are open to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) ages 18 and older who are interested in medical school or another advanced health professions program.

Current high school seniors, current community college or undergraduate students, and recent college graduates are eligible to apply to attend a workshop. The application deadline is August 24.

Funding opportunities

Tribal Self-Governance Program cooperative agreements

Deadline: August 31

Two types of Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP) cooperative agreements are available to tribes and tribal organizations for a 1-year performance period:

Negotiation cooperative agreements of $84,000 each will support grantees’ efforts to prepare for and engage in TSGP negotiations
Planning cooperative agreements of $180,000 each will fund grantees’ research and organizational preparation related to health care program administration

HRSA’s Service Area Competition

Deadline: September 12
View HRSA’s Service Area Competition funding opportunity

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is offering grants to support continued access to culturally competent primary care in medically underserved communities.

Approximately 79 grants will be awarded. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Calendar of events

Some events may be cancelled, postponed, or held virtually as public health officials monitor COVID-19 safety measures during this time. Please check the events’ pages for updates on event status.

Indian Health Service Webinars

Sponsored by the Indian Health Service (IHS) Tele-Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the IHS tele-education webinars listed below are intended for health care team members.

Child and adolescent behavioral health webinar series (2 pm Eastern)
August 18: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder & Oppositional Defiant Disorder
September 1: Intellectual Disabilities
September 15: Communications Disorders
September 29: Specific Learning Disorders
October 13: Motor Disorders
October 27: School Coordination for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Trauma and stress disorders webinar series (12 pm Eastern)
August 23: Trauma Disorders in Youth: Attachment Disorder, PTSD and Complex Developmental Trauma
September 13: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
September 27: Trauma Responses across the Lifespan
October 11: Treatment Approaches for Trauma Responses: Medications, Trauma Informed Care
October 25: Treatment Approaches for PTSD in Adults: Individual and Group Application and Contraindications/Cultural Fit

USET Webinars on Native Psychological Brilliance

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET), a tribal behavioral health ECHO, hosts a Reclaiming Native Psychological Brilliance webinar on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m. Eastern. Native Psychological Brilliance refers to the intelligence, strengths, balance, innate resources, and resilience of Native people.

August 23: Role of Indigenous Healing Practices in Native Life Re-Balance
September 27: Inspiring Native Life Transformation Plans
October 25: Reframing Native Mental Health

Circle of Harmony HIV/AIDS Wellness Conference

August 24–25
Virtual
Register for the Circle of Harmony HIV/AIDS Wellness Conference

Plan to attend the Circle of Harmony HIV/AIDS Wellness Conference, which will address prevention of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse from a Native American perspective. The conference’s theme is “Cultivating Biomedical Practices to Advance Health Equity.”

NIHB’s National Tribal Health Conference

September 26–28
Washington, DC
Register for NIHB’s National Tribal Health Conference

Make plans now to join National Indian Health Board (NIHB) for this year’s National Tribal Health Conference and 50th anniversary celebration. The conference provides opportunities to discuss policy work in the areas of tribal health care, behavioral health, and more. Early bird registration ends August 19.

Contact us

Do you have news to share? Send it to coveringic@kauffmaninc.com for possible inclusion in an upcoming newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.

About the newsletter

Covering Indian Country is published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Division of Tribal Affairs to share resources, success stories, and best practices with the people who connect tribal communities to health care coverage.

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