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Covering Indian Country – March 2019

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent this bulletin at 03/12/2019 04:00 PM EDT

March 2019

Spotlight: Angie Wilson with Washoe Tribal Health Center

"I can't stress enough the importance of understanding Medicaid, advocating for Medicaid, and assisting with Medicaid enrollment," says Angie Wilson, the new chair of CMS's Tribal Technical Advisory Group Outreach and Education Subcommittee and Executive Director of the Washoe Tribal Health Center in Gardnerville, NV.

Wilson is passionate about helping American Indians and Alaska Natives enroll in CMS-administered programs. When more tribal members enroll in Medicaid, tribal clinics have more resources to hire additional health care providers and expand into satellite clinics.

A member of the Pit River Tribe, Wilson recommends using newsletters, GoodHealthTV, and presentations at senior centers and health education events to encourage people to sign up for Medicaid.

Photo of Angie Wilson

Angie Wilson, Executive Director,
Washoe Tribal Health Center

"Outreach helps leadership become more supportive and accept Medicaid enrollment as a norm in the tribal community."

— Angie Wilson, Executive Director, Washoe Tribal Health Center

Partnering with the state government to train staff on income calculation also helps increase Medicaid enrollment and ensure patient benefits coordinators are not inadvertently screening out eligible patients. Washoe staff attended an extensive training program typically reserved for new state government employees. As a result, the health center is now adequately prepared to conduct Medicaid eligibility determinations.

Wilson hopes Indian health clinics will help each other maximize opportunities to bring in Medicaid revenue. "Every month, the Nevada tribal health directors meet and share ideas for an entire day," she said. "It's a good way to learn about advocacy and recruitment."

March: American Diabetes Association Alert Day—March 26

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.

Soundcloud Audio
English Lakota Navajo Ojibwe Yupik Zuni

Youtube Video
English Lakota Navajo Ojibwe Yupik Zuni

Tweet it

Check your diabetes and get tested on American Diabetes Association Alert Day, March 26.

Video

#Nativehealth

Flyers and fact sheets

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

Health Care Off the Reservation: Understand options for American Indians who move off their reservation or live outside of their tribe's service delivery area.
Diabetes Care and Health Coverage: Learn about coverage for diabetes screening, monitoring and treatment, and self-management training.
Bringing Better Health Care to Native Communities offers an overview of Marketplace, Medicaid, Medicare, and Children's Health Insurance Program coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Additional resources

National Nutrition Month

Support healthy eating habits in your community during National Nutrition Month in March.

Are you looking to incorporate healthy menu options into your community's meetings, gatherings, and events? Check out the Ordering Nutritious & Indigenous Foods Guidelines & Checklist (PDF, 6.2 MB, 6 pp), a culturally appropriate resource developed by the American Indian Cancer Foundation and its partners at the Lower Sioux Indian Community and the Public Health Law Center.

Additionally, download My Native Plate (PDF, 2.8 MB, 2 pp), a nutrition education tool from the Indian Health Service that features sample meals and tips for a varied diet.

Learn about diabetes risk and prevention services

The American Diabetes Association encourages people to take a type 2 diabetes risk test and learn how to lower their risk of type 2 diabetes on its Alert Day, March 26.

American Indians and Alaska Natives are at greater risk of diabetes than non-Hispanic White Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, 17.6% of American Indians and Alaska Natives have diabetes, compared with 7.3% of non-Hispanic Whites.

CMS's brochure, Diabetes Care and Health Coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives, describes diabetes prevention and treatment services available through Medicaid, Medicare, insurance plans purchased from the Marketplace and Indian Health Service.

Medicare's new "What's Covered" mobile app

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have the "Is it covered?" question answered with the new mobile "What's Covered" app.

Available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play, this app offers information about covered services and medical equipment and costs for Medicare Parts A and B. Users simply type the service or item they are seeking information about into the app.

Image of person holding phone with the Medicare.gov What's Covered? app open

The app then delivers information about whether that service or item is covered by Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B and the costs the user can expect to pay. Users can also access a list of covered preventive services.

SAMHSA releases Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 61: Behavioral health services for Native Americans

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 61 provides practical and culturally relevant guidance on effective behavioral health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives. TIP 61 is divided into three parts:

a review of the American Indian and Alaska Native population's demographics, history, challenges, and cultural adaptations to behavioral health care;
a discussion of culturally responsive professional environments for AI/AN clients; and
a literature review.

Download TIP 61.

National Indian Health Board Health Policy Fellowships

Deadline: March 30.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is offering 1-year fellowships for Native youth, ages 18 to 24, to learn ways to make a difference in the health of their communities. Fellows learn how to work with tribal leadership, analyze health policy, and become effective advocates.

NIHB covers the costs of three in-person meetings and five virtual trainings. Learn more about the Fellowships.

Funding opportunities

SAMHSA's "Building Communities of Recovery"

Deadline: April 2, 2019

These grants are intended to support the development, enhancement, expansion, and delivery of recovery support services. They will also promote and provide education about recovery. Learn more about Building Communities of Recovery.

ANA funding opportunities for community-driven projects

Deadline: April 15, 2019

The Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) program supports community-driven projects that meet the needs of Native Americans in areas such as community health, substance abuse, nutrition and fitness, and mental health. Learn more about SEDS.

The SEDS program for Alaska funds efforts that will enhance the administrative and project management capacity of Alaska Native village governments. Examples of such efforts include programs to address family and child welfare issues, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery. Learn more about SEDS for Alaska..

CMS Innovation Center: Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model

Deadline: May 6, 2019

CMS will provide state Medicaid agencies and their care-delivery partners funds to increase access to essential physical and behavioral health services for new and expectant mothers who misuse opioids and infants exposed to opioids before birth. Learn more about the MOM Model.

CMS Innovation Center: Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model

Deadline: June 10, 2019

This child-centered local service delivery and state payment model aims to reduce expenditures and improve the quality of care for children covered by Medicaid and CHIP who have, or are at risk for developing, significant health needs. Learn more about the InCK Model.

Calendar of Events

CMS ITU Outreach and Education Training

March 20, 2019

Denver, CO

The target audience for this CMS ITU training is business office staff, benefits coordinators, patient registration staff, medical records staff, and purchased/referred care services staff. Topics include CMS Tribal Affairs updates, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, state-administered programs, Social Security, and Veterans Affairs.

Upcoming ITU Outreach and Education Trainings:

April 3 in Seattle, WA
April 23 in Albuquerque, NM
May 14 in Tulsa, OK
May 14 in Kansas City, MO
May 30 in Bemidji, MN
June 4 in Sacramento, CA
June 18 in Billings, MT
June 25 in Richmond, VA
August 14 in Norwich, CT

Circle of Harmony HIV/AIDS Wellness Conference

March 26–28, 2019

Albuquerque, NM

Sponsored by the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, this 14th annual conference addresses issues related to prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS among Native Americans.

American Indian Disability Summit

March 29, 2019

Phoenix, AZ

Learn more about the Summit

The 15th annual American Indian Disability Summit provides interaction, networking, education, and support for American Indians with disabilities and their families in rural and urban tribal communities. The summit will be held at the Desert Willow Conference Center.

NICWA Protecting Our Children Conference

March 31–April 3, 2019

Albuquerque, NM

The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) Conference focuses on Native child advocacy issues. The intended audience for this conference includes child social service providers; legal professionals; advocates for children; and tribal, state, and federal leaders.

Tribal Public Health Conference 2019

April 9–11, 2019

Tulsa, OK

The Southern Plains Tribal Health Board and the 7th Generation Conference are hosting the Tribal Public Health Conference with the theme, "Strength In Community, Power In Connection." Tribal elders, tribal partners, health care providers and administrators, and public health professionals from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas are encouraged to attend.

7th Annual CRCAIH Summit

April 30, 2019

Sioux Falls, SD

This year's Collaborative Research Center for American Indian Health (CRCAIH) Summit will focus on youth. Its theme is, "Nurturing the Future of Native Youth Through Research." The intended audience includes health researchers, tribal leadership, health care providers, and social services workers.

NIHB's 10th Annual National Tribal Public Health Summit

May 13–15, 2019

Albuquerque, NM

Sponsored by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), the Tribal Public Health Summit attracts

public health professionals, elected leaders, advocates, researchers, and community-based service providers.

2019 AI/AN National Behavioral Health Conference

May 15–17, 2019

Albuquerque, NM

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting the American Indian and Alaska Native National Behavioral Health Conference with the theme, "Preserving Wisdom, Promoting Innovation." The intended audience includes behavioral health experts, public health professionals, federal employees, advocates, researchers, and community-based providers.

Contact Us

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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 coverage.

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