Covering Indian Country – November 2021

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Covering Indian Country

November 2021

Spotlight: Open enrollment

Image of a young Native person looking at their smartphone. Banner reads, "Open Enrollment for Medicare and Health Insurance Marketplace"

Open enrollment for Medicare runs through December 7, 2021. The Marketplace Open Enrollment Period runs through January 15, 2022. However, December 15, 2021, is the last day to sign up for Marketplace health care coverage with an effective date of January 1, 2022.

Enrollment assisters play important roles in efforts to help uninsured people obtain affordable health care coverage. That’s why CMS has awarded $80 million to organizations in 30 states (PDF, 488 KB, 63 pp) for the training and certification of 1,500 health care navigators.

We are happy to report that Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board (GPTCHB) was one of the awardees. GPTCHB will target enrollment of American Indians and Alaska Natives, in partnership with tribal governments, Indian Health Service, and the South Dakota Medicaid agency.

Open enrollment is an opportunity for eligible consumers to review their health care coverage options and sign up for a plan that best meets their needs.

Additionally, national and local organizations serving tribal populations and other underinsured communities are invited to join CMS’s Champions for Coverage program. Participating organizations receive educational resources and “event-in-a-box” materials for outreach and education about the Marketplace and how consumers can enroll in coverage through HealthCare.gov, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

We urge anyone who works in outreach and education to consult the list of theme weeks for this year’s Marketplace open enrollment period (PDF, 85 KB, 2 pp), keeping in mind that December 12–18 is American Indian/Alaska Native/Tribal Week of Action. The CMS Office of Communications, in collaboration with the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs, will provide more information about tribal-specific outreach and enrollment activities for that week. In the meantime, please start thinking about outreach activities to help enroll tribal members in the Marketplace, Medicaid, and CHIP.

Finally, enrollment assisters and outreach workers are encouraged to check out the resources that the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs offers online. Those resources include:

 

November: Open enrollment

The November 2021 PSA features a young Native woman. Life's an adventure, but your health shouldn't be. Check out open enrollment options on November 1, 2021, through January 15, 2022. Contact your local Indian health care provider for more information, visit Healthcare.gov, or call 1–800–318–2596.

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.

SoundcloudAudio clips



YoutubeVideos

TwitterTweet it

Take charge of your health! Check out open enrollment options now.

https://youtu.be/qHkR1UaocC4

#CMSNativeHealth

Flyers and brochures

A collage of 3 resources: 
(1) Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer 
(2) Diabetes Care and Health Coverage brochure
(3) Support for Veterans brochure

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

  • The Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer (PDF, 426 KB, 1 p) explains how Medicaid enrollment benefits Native people and their communities.
  • Diabetes Care and Health Coverage (PDF, 1.3 MB, 2 pp) reviews which diabetes supplies and services are covered by Medicare and Medicaid.
  • Support for Veterans (PDF, 501 KB, 2 pp) explains the different health care coverage options available to Native people who served in the armed forces.
 

Health observances

November is American Diabetes Month

SDPI Diabetes Prevention Program Toolkit logo

The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (PDF, 1.1 MB, 1 p) has significantly improved health outcomes for, and decreased the number of, American Indian and Alaska Native adults with diabetes.

During American Diabetes Month, help continue that momentum by sharing the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Toolkit. The toolkit includes 4 modules to help communities develop and implement a sustainable DPP that incorporates input from tribal leaders and other stakeholders.

Great American Smokeout: November 18

In observance of this year’s Great American Smokeout, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website for resources to help Veterans stop smoking. The resources include a handout (PDF, 710 KB, 1 p), posters, electronic billboards for digital screens, and social media content. Additionally, please encourage Veterans who want to stop smoking to:

  • Call VA’s telephone quitline (1-855-QUIT-VET), which is staffed by trained counselors between 9 am and 9 pm eastern, Monday through Friday
  • Sign up for Smokefree VET, a text messaging program that provides smoking cessation tips and tools
  • Download Stay Quit Coach, a free mobile app
 

National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

Front cover of Brain Health Action Institute for Tribal Nations Workbook

During National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, share resources from the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) to help tribal leaders, health directors, clinicians, and others improve brain health.

NIHB’s newer resources include:

The training module includes information from the Healthy Brain Initiative’s Road Map for Indian Country (PDF, 11 MB, 44 pp), a public health guide focused on dementia in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Additional resources

Promoting vaccination of youth against COVID-19

Front cover of This Is Your Shot toolkit

The National Congress of American Indians and the National Education Association have developed a COVID-19 Native youth vaccination toolkit.

This Is Your Shot (PDF, 9.8 MB, 12 pp) includes sample social media posts and addresses common concerns about COVID-19 vaccination. The toolkit also explains how vaccinating youth ages 12–24 will help:

  • Keep individuals, families, and communities healthy and safe
  • End the pandemic
  • Get life back to normal

Psychological first aid for frontline workers

Front cover of psychological first aid guide

The ongoing pandemic continues to test the resilience of COVID-19 frontline workers.

Recently, a culturally relevant psychological first aid guide (PDF, 22 MB, 35 pp) for frontline workers in American Indian and Alaska Native communities became available online.

The guide is intended to help frontline workers find healthy coping strategies and promote community wellness. To that end, the guide:

  • Encourages people to identify tools for managing stressors that are within their control
  • Provides specific recommendations for engaging in supportive communication in person, over the phone, and via video chat

Frontline workers may also benefit from the availability of an additional psychological first aid resource (PDF, 14.5 MB, 16 pp) that offers strategies for addressing burnout and compassion fatigue, supporting children during the pandemic, and more.

Funding opportunities

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C

Deadline: December 10

View the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C funding opportunity

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C funds are available to support comprehensive primary health care and counseling in outpatient settings for low-income people with HIV. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

I Strengthen My Nation

Deadline: December 10
View the I Strengthen My Nation funding opportunity

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, in partnership with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, is hosting another round of challenge competitions for youth.

  • The Art Challenge invites individuals and groups to submit any original form of art and describe how it depicts resilience against drug abuse. Approximately 25 prizes of either $500 (individual) or $1,000 (group) will be awarded for each winning entry.
  • The Community Project Intervention Challenge invites youth to submit a 3- to 5-minute video and a 5-page written proposal describing a community project that promotes resilience against substance misuse. Up to $10,000 will be awarded for each winning entry.

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.

Indigenous Lessons for the World: Traditional Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic & Climate Change

November 17 at 12 pm eastern
Virtual
Register for Indigenous Lessons for the World

Plan to join Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health for their keynote address to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. Oren Lyons and Thomas Banyacya, Jr., will present.

Context Clues: Using SDOH to Enhance Treatment

The Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network and Aetna Better Health of Kansas have developed a series of webinars to help health care providers and other interested parties identify and address social determinants of health (SDOH).

Register for the Context Clues webinars. Dates and topics of upcoming webinars are listed below.

November 18
Addiction: Gambling, Alcohol, Drug Abuse (1–1:30 pm eastern)
Work Stress and Burnout (1:30–2 pm eastern)

December 16
Internet Access (1–1:30 pm eastern)
Transportation and Social Support (1:30–2 pm eastern)

Adult Leadership Training

December 14–15
Virtual
Register for the Adult Leadership Training

Hosted by the Native Wellness Institute, the Adult Leadership Training will help participants assess their leadership skills and apply core values of traditional leadership to their work. Topics include conflict resolution, historical trauma and wellness, positive role modeling, and more.

Native Youth Leadership Gathering

December 16–17
Virtual
Register for the Native Youth Leadership Gathering

The Native Wellness Institute will host an event to help Native youth ages 12–18 make positive contributions to their schools, families, and communities. The training will cover topics such as culture and spirituality, healthy lifestyles, the power of positive thinking, and healthy relationships.

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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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