Spotlight: Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace coverage
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CMS has announced a Special Enrollment Period to allow families to obtain Marketplace health care coverage during the ongoing national public health emergency due to COVID-19.
People with health care coverage are more likely to receive essential health benefits (PDF, 2.4 MB, 2 pp), such as vaccinations and cancer screenings, than people without coverage.
That’s why the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs (DTA) encourages all eligible individuals and families to apply for Marketplace coverage during this year’s Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which now runs through August 15.
DTA also urges enrollment assisters and outreach workers to visit the CMS Tribal Products webpage for tribal-specific resources on health care coverage.
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This year’s Special Enrollment Period gives eligible individuals and families additional time to sign up for Marketplace health care coverage.
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The SEP is available in states enrolled in the federal Marketplace through HealthCare.gov.
Notably, the SEP is open to all Marketplace-eligible consumers who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. If one family member listed on the application is eligible for the SEP, all family members on the same application are eligible.
Once an application has been submitted and approved, consumers have 30 days to enroll in a Marketplace plan. Coverage begins the first of the month after the enrollment date.
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Good news! The Special Enrollment Period has been extended to run through August 15. Please visit HealthCare.gov for updates.
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Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. For more information, please visit CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.
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Public service announcements
Share these brief audio clips and videos, available in 10 Native languages and English, on your local radio station, website, and Facebook page.
 Audio clips
 Videos
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Resources on health care coverage
Download these resources at your convenience.
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Colon cancer screening
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March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, an annual health observance to promote colon cancer screening.
According to the American Indian Cancer Foundation, colon cancer is a leading cause of death in Native American communities. Treatment is more likely to be successful when cancer is found early. Book your screening test with your provider to get back on track this month.
To help health care providers and health educators get people back on track, there is a 2-part podcast series, Effective Strategies to Reach Patients for Colorectal Cancer Screening During COVID-19, now available on the National Native Network website.
Part 1 of the podcast series reviews the latest colon cancer rates and highlights examples of projects to promote colon cancer screening in tribal communities.Part 2 focuses on grassroots-level implementation of outreach and education strategies to increase screening.
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Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program
Deadline: April 2, 2021
View the Evidence-Based Telehealth Network Program funding opportunity
Funds are available from the Health Resources and Services Administration to support telehealth networks’ use of real-time, virtual visits to increase access to care in rural, underserved areas. Up to 14 cooperative agreements of up to $350,000 per year will be awarded for a 5-year performance period.
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Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Psychostimulant Support
Deadline: April 12, 2021
View the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Psychostimulant Support funding opportunity
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Psychostimulant Support grants will support activities that expand access to psychostimulant misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery services for people in high-risk rural communities.
HRSA anticipates awarding up to 15 grants of up to $500,000 each for a 3-year period of performance. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.
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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.
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Virtual CMS ITU Outreach and Education Trainings
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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
Portland/Billings: Weeks of April 5–12
Albuquerque: Weeks of April 26–May 3
Navajo: Weeks of May 3–10
Oklahoma City: Weeks of May 10–17
California: Weeks of May 17–24
Great Plains: Weeks of June 7–14
Bemidji/Nashville: Weeks of June 14–21
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NIHB 2021 National Tribal Public Health Summit
April 27–29
Virtual
Register for the National Tribal Public Health Summit
The theme of this year’s National Tribal Public Health Summit is “Indigenous Resilience in Tribal Public Health Practice.” Sponsored by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), the summit will bring together public health professionals, researchers, and policy experts to discuss evidenced-based emerging and promising practices in public, behavioral, and environmental health.
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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.
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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 care coverage.
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