Covering Indian Country, November 2017

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Covering Indian Country

November 2017

Spotlight: Andrea Thomas with Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium

Andrea Thomas, Outreach and Enrollment Manager for SEARHC, writing at her desk

Mapping uninsured children and their families is a crucial part of connecting Alaska Natives to health care, says Andrea Thomas, Outreach and Enrollment Manager for the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC).

SEARHC is one of two health organizations in Alaska using new technology called MAPS IQ to track uninsured children and families.

"We will be able to track and outreach to uninsured people," said Thomas, who explained the mapping technology is made possible through a grant from InsureKidsNow.gov. Grant funds are also being used to hire more enrollment specialists and financial counselors.

SEARHC focuses on several outreach strategies:

  • using prepared scripts to engage the community about Medicaid
  • providing professional customer service
  • walking community members through their health coverage applications
  • using media as a partner in outreach efforts

SEARHC also works with other organizations to find the best ways to connect people to care. “In Alaska, there are partnerships,” Thomas said. “We often share what we learn and help each other out.”

Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment: Nov. 1–Dec. 15

It’s open enrollment time on the Health Insurance Marketplace. People may sign up for health insurance coverage in 2018 from Nov. 1–Dec. 15.

Encourage people in your community to sign up now. They can connect with someone in their area to answer questions and help them apply, using healthcare.gov’s local help page. Before applying, a review of the Marketplace checklist (PDF, 216 KB, 1 p) will ensure applicants have all the information they need to fill out the application.

American Indians and Alaska Natives can find out more about applying and special protections in the Health Insurance Markeplace at go.cms.gov/nativehealth.

Open Enrollment

Public service ad with photo of smiling young adults: We aren't Invincible. Even healthy people like us need health insurance when the unexpected happens. You can remain on your parents' insurance until age 26, or sign up for your own. Open enrollment is Nov. 1-Dec. 15. Learn more at go.cms.gov/nativehealth or call 1-800-318-2596.

Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. Other sizes are available on CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.

Public service announcements

Share these informational audio clips and videos on your local radio station, website, and Facebook page.

SoundcloudAudio
English Lakota Navajo Ojibwe Yupik Zuni

YoutubeVideo
English Lakota Navajo Ojibwe Yupik Zuni

TwitterTweet it

Being young doesn’t make you invincible. Get insured and protect your health. https://youtu.be/QLSZZaO9Dis #CMSNativeHealth

Brochures and fact sheets

Two brochures: (1) Employer-sponsored Insurance for You and Your Family and (2) CHIP, Medicaid, Medicare, and the Health Insurance  Marketplace at a Glance

Employer-sponsored Insurance for You and Your Family (PDF, 618 KB, 2 pp) explains how to enroll family members in employer-sponsored insurance and other ways to get covered if employers don’t offer insurance.

CHIP, Medicaid, Medicare, and the Health Insurance Marketplace at a Glance (PDF, 1 MB, 2 pp) provides a chart detailing benefits and eligibility for different forms of insurance.

Additional Resources

CDC: STDs on the rise in Native communities

According to CDC’s 2016 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance Report, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, are on the rise across all races and ethnicities in the United States.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) had the second highest rate of chlamydia and gonorrhea cases in 2016. AI/ANs had the third highest rate of syphilis. According to CDC, young people (ages 15 to 24) acquire half of all new STDs.

Young couple walking down the street, talking

“From a public health perspective, it is important that adolescents have the option to obtain confidential reproductive health education, counseling, and services,” says Jessica Leston, clinical programs manager for the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB).

NPAIHB’s We R Native program provides culturally relevant HIV and STD education to young people (ages 15 to 24). This evidence-based program also offers a sexual health video that encourages AI/AN youth to lead healthier sexual lives by getting tested for STDs.

NPAIHB also offers the Native Voices sexual health curriculum for AI/AN high school students and young adults. The curriculum is designed for parents, teachers, and others working with youth.

Learn more about NPAIHB’s work on sexual health in the IHS Primary Care Provider (PDF, 247 MB, 37 pp).

Promote flu vaccination and protect the circle of life

Image of CDC's American Indian/Alaska Native infographic. 'American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/ANs) are at a high risk for flu complications. A yearly flu vaccine protects yourself and others around you. Flu is a leading cause of pneumonia. Flu and pheumonia rank among the top 10 causes of death for AI/ANs. AI/ANs are more likely to die from pneumonia and flu than other races. Across the U.S., the flu causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year. AI/ANs are at a higher risk than others for pneumonia and bronchitis, hospitalization, and death. The flu poses a greater risk to: young children and elders; pregnant women; and people with diabetes, extreme obesity, heart disease, or asthma and other lung problems.'

Help protect American Indians and Alaska Natives from developing serious flu complications.

CMS Tribal Affairs webinar: Medicare Part D open enrollment

Wednesday, Nov. 15
2 p.m. eastern

Register

CMS is partnering with the Indian Health Service (IHS) to host a webinar about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D). This webinar will provide an overview of Medicare Part D and highlight updates and changes for this year’s open enrollment period (October 15–December 7).

CMS and IHS subject matter experts will focus on what Medicare Part D plans cover, how the plans work with Indian health programs, and how to sign up. Patients enrolled in Medicare Part D who fill prescriptions through an Indian health pharmacy pay nothing. Indian health programs can then bill Medicare Part D for prescription drugs and use that money to expand services in their communities. Learn more about Medicare Part D.

Pre-registration is required for this webinar.

Enrollment toolkit from coverage to care

Download CMS’s From Coverage to Care (C2C) enrollment toolkit (PDF, 4 MB, 50 pp) and use it as a resource to discuss health insurance with consumers.

The toolkit is organized into five sections and covers:

  • the importance of health care
  • commonly used terms
  • selecting the right plan
  • how to enroll in a plan and identify a provider

Remind AI/ANs from federally recognized tribes that they can enroll in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP or change their plan at any time.

Cover photo of the tookit, 'From Coverage to Care: Helping consumers choose the health plan that's right for them.' Image shows a medical bag with physican equipment.

Webinar recording: Navigate the redesigned LTSS Technical Assistance Center

Image of the CMS LTTS website homepage that shows a photo of a AI/AN elder

Watch the October 2017 CMS Long-Term Services and Support (LTSS) webinar, “Navigate the redesigned LTSS Technical Assistance Center” to learn where to find online resources and tools to support your LTSS programs. These services help improve the lives of AI/AN elders and those with disabilities.

Calendar of Events

HHS, Administration for Community Living

View upcoming webinars:

CMS Indian Health Service, Tribal or Urban Indian Health Trainings

November 14–16, 2017

Phoenix, AZ
Learn more and register

This training is for business staff, benefits coordinators, medical records staff, and patient registration staff. It will cover CMS Tribal Affairs updates, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, the Health Insurance Marketplace, state-administered programs, Social Security, and Veterans Affairs. The third day, hosted by IHS, will focus on how to maximize access to third-party resources and improve access to quality health care.

Trainings in 2018

  • March 20–22 in Denver, CO
  • April 3–4 in Seattle, WA
  • April 17–19 in Sacramento, CA
  • April 23–24 in Albuquerque, NM
  • May 3–4 in Chicago, IL
  • May 8–9 in Dallas, TX
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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 insurance.


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