Covering Indian Country – May 2022

 

May 2022

 

Spotlight: CMS’s communications toolkit In March 2020, CMS temporarily waived certain Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) requirements and conditions to prevent people from losing health coverage during the pandemic. As we near the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, CMS is working with states and other stakeholders to help current Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries prepare for the renewal process or explore other available health insurance options. In preparation for that work, CMS created a communications toolkit, Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding (PDF, 1.7 MB, 15 pp). The toolkit recommends that states include the following key messages when encouraging Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries to get ready to renew their coverage: Update your contact information – Make sure the state Medicaid or CHIP program has your current mailing address, phone number, email address, or other contact information. This way, they will be able to contact you about your Medicaid or CHIP coverage. Check your mail – The State Medicaid or CHIP program will mail you a letter about your Medicaid or CHIP coverage. This letter will also let you know if you need to complete a renewal form to see if you still qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. Complete your renewal form (if you get one) – Fill out the form and return it right away to help avoid a gap in your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.   CMS remains committed to providing enrollment assisters with the resources they need to help people obtain affordable health coverage. Additionally, the toolkit suggests states tell people who no longer qualify for Medicaid or CHIP that they may be able to get affordable, comprehensive health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace®. The communications toolkit is in the process of being updated to include tribal-specific messaging. For updates, please periodically check Medicaid’s list of resources for states or visit https://go.cms.gov/aian. In the meantime, let Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries know that local Indian health care providers can assist in making sure contact information is correct. Medicaid and CHIP eligibility depends on several factors. Recognizing that some enrollees may lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage under the reinstated requirements and conditions, CMS recommends that enrollment assisters download and review the following resources: Health Coverage Options for the Uninsured (PDF, 257 KB, 10 pp) Information for American Indians and Alaska Natives Applying for Coverage (PDF, 136 KB, 4 pp) Additional information about Marketplace coverage for members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Corporation shareholders is available online.

 

May: Prenatal care

 

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. Audio clips   Videos Tweet it Having a baby? CMS programs cover prenatal services. Enroll today. https://youtu.be/2CN_8i9rn6A #CMSNativeHealth Flyers and other resources Download these resources or order copies on the Tribal Products Ordering Page. Please allow 2 weeks for your order to be completed. The Women’s Health Checklist (PDF, 893 KB, 2 pp) helps women of all ages track the preventive services they need to stay well. The Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer (PDF, 507 KB, 1 p) lists the benefits available through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Coverage for New Moms and New Babies (PDF, 464 KB, 2 pp) reviews services that help keep women healthy during pregnancy and after delivery.

 

Health observances

 

National Women’s Health Week: May 8–14 In observance of National Women’s Health Week, continue highlighting the importance of wellness visits, which provide opportunities to: Review personal and family medical history with a health care professional Receive vaccinations and other essential health benefits (PDF, 2.5 MB, 2 pp) Set health goals, such as being physically active and quitting smoking Also, remind women in your community that brochures listing Indian health facilities by region are available on CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, tribal communities are invited to explore how they might partner with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, also known as 988. Expected to go live in mid-July, 988 provides direct access to trained crisis counselors. The service will be available all year—24 hours a day, 7 days a week—via phone. People in areas with less reliable phone or 911 service will also have the option of: Chatting via the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website Texting NATIVE to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 Texting 988 To learn how tribal communities can partner with 988, download Coming to Indian Country: 988 and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (PDF, 1.4 MB, 2 pp).

Hepatitis C awareness May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and May 19 is National Hepatitis Testing Day. Both observances highlight the benefits of getting tested for viral hepatitis, a liver condition. The most common type of viral hepatitis in the United States is hepatitis C (hep C), which kills more American Indians and Alaska Natives than it does any other racial or ethnic group. In many cases, infection with the hep C virus becomes a long-term, chronic condition that causes no symptoms. Left untreated, chronic hep C can lead to liver cancer, liver failure, or even death. That’s why hep C screening is recommended for: Adults at least once in a lifetime Pregnant women during each pregnancy Help promote hep C screening by sharing hepatitis awareness social media posts and graphics. Also, encourage health care professionals in your community to join upcoming Hepatitis C ECHO Programs.

 

Additional resources

 

Protecting elders and children from COVID-19 As new COVID-19 variants emerge, vaccination continues to play an important role in protecting our most vulnerable community members. Help make sure people are up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses by sharing the following resources from Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health: Social media toolkit highlighting the importance of a second booster shot for people ages 50 and older YouTube video in which Anishinaabe parents from Duluth, MN, explain why they opted to get their 5-year-old daughter vaccinated

 

Funding opportunities

 

Eric D. Bothwell Memorial Awards in American Indian and Alaska Native Men’s Health Deadline:May 27 View the Eric D. Bothwell Memorial Awards funding opportunity The Eric D. Bothwell Memorial Awards promote scholarship to address disparities impacting the physical and mental health of American Indian and Alaska Native men and boys. Students and early-career researchers are encouraged to apply.

NCIPC funds to expand comprehensive suicide prevention Deadline: June 6 View the suicide prevention funding opportunity The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH) is offering scholarships for its 2022 summer institute. Indigenous health leaders who want to address disparities in tribal communities are encouraged to apply.

Cooperative agreements to address HIV and hepatitis C Deadline: June 17 View the HIV and hepatitis C funding opportunity Tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations are encouraged to apply for funds to end HIV and hepatitis C epidemics in Indian Country. Approximately 14 cooperative agreements of up to $200,000 each will be awarded for a 3-year performance period.

 

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.

Virtual CMS ITU Outreach and Education Trainings The CMS Division of Tribal Affairs offers virtual trainings to benefit coordinators and business office, patient registration, medical records, and purchased/referred care services staff. ITU staff are encouraged to register for the training for their respective IHS area, as the agendas will include area-specific issues and state Medicaid/CHIP presentations. However, you may register for other IHS area webinars if you are interested. Please check CMS’s website periodically for more information as these virtual events are scheduled and opened for registration. Upcoming Virtual ITU Trainings by IHS Area Oklahoma City: Weeks of May 9 and 16 California: Weeks of May 23 and 30 Great Plains: Weeks of June 6 and 13 Nashville: Weeks of June 20 and 27 (mornings) Bemidji: Weeks of June 20 and 27 (afternoons)

National Tribal Tobacco Conference May 16–17 Minneapolis, MN Register for the National Tribal Tobacco Conference Co-hosted by the University of Minnesota and the American Indian Cancer Foundation, the National Tribal Tobacco Conference will address traditional uses of tobacco and the impact of commercial tobacco on American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

CMS Rural Health Strategy “Refresh” Listening Session May 17, from 2–3:30 pm Eastern Register for the CMS Rural Health Strategy “Refresh” Listening Session The CMS Rural Health Council is hosting a listening session on the May 17 All Tribes Call to receive feedback on its current Rural Health Strategy (PDF, 10.2 MB, 8 pp). Tribal leaders, tribal health directors, and American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals with firsthand experience receiving health care or supporting health care service delivery in rural AI/AN communities are encouraged to attend.

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. May 17: Substance Use Disorder and American Indian/Alaska Native Youth May 24: Addiction During Pregnancy and Post-Partum May 31: Addiction Treatment Considerations in the LGBTQ2S Population June 7: Substance Use Disorders and Risk of Suicide June 14: Substance Use Disorder and Relationships

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 pm Eastern. Native Psychological Brilliance refers to the intelligence, strengths, balance, innate resources, and resilience of Native people. Register for the USET webinars. Dates and topics of upcoming webinars are listed below. May 24: Native Trauma Layers and Post-Traumatic Growth June 28: Assessment and Diagnosis Through Indigenous Lens July 26: Substance Use and Hungry Ghosts

Virtual NCUIH 2022 Annual Conference May 24–25, from 12–6 pm Eastern Register for the NCUIH 2022 annual conference Federal partners, public health advocates, and members of urban American Indian and Alaska Native communities are encouraged to attend this year’s National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) annual conference, which will focus on health equity. Sessions will focus on mental health disparities, the impact of COVID-19, advocating for missing and murdered Indigenous people, and more.

 

 

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.   Download Adobe Reader for the best reading experience with PDF files.