Covering Indian Country – May 2024

May 2024

Spotlight: Streamlined Medicaid and CHIP enrollment

Enrolling in and keeping health care coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is about to get easier, thanks to the unveiling of a final rule that streamlines the application, eligibility determination, enrollment, and renewal processes. Effective June 3, the final rule:

• Simplifies the process for eligible people to enroll in Medicaid coverage and keep their coverage
• Removes unnecessary barriers to enrollment
• Simplifies the eligibility process
• Streamlines the information that applicants must submit to verify income and assets

Keeping eligible people covered is an important step in efforts to increase equity and access to care. We know many individuals are eligible for coverage but often fall through the cracks and lose coverage for a period of time. The final rule is intended to reduce the number of eligible individuals who lose coverage and have to enroll again.

Enrolling in and keeping health care coverage through Medicaid and CHIP is about to get easier, thanks to the unveiling of a final rule.

People with continuous health care coverage are more likely to receive or seek out routine care. And programs like Medicaid and CHIP promote health equity by providing American Indians and Alaska Natives with greater access to preventive and specialty care.

Help prevent gaps in coverage by continuing outreach and education to make sure people fully understand which insurance programs and benefits they are eligible for.

Also, let families know that Medicaid and CHIP provide pregnant people with coverage before and after their babies arrive. The coverage includes prenatal visits, labor and delivery, postpartum care, and more. Plus, the baby is covered, too.

May: Physical fitness

Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. For more information, please visit CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.

Health observances

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

During Mental Health Awareness Month, share resources intended to help decrease the stigma around symptoms of depression that often can occur in the 12 months after giving birth.

The Talking Postpartum Depression campaign offers videos, social media messages, fact sheets, and posters. It also includes stories of hope and healing, one of which features a mom from a tribal community.

National Women’s Health Week: May 12–18

Research suggests that people who see a health care professional regularly for routine checkups are more likely to receive timely care for a serious health concern.

In observance of National Women’s Health Week, please encourage women in your community to schedule their next wellness visit and commit to keeping their appointments.

Also, remind them that many preventive health services are covered by health insurance.

Additionally, acknowledge balancing self-care with responsibilities at home and work can be challenging at times, even under the best of circumstances.

Hepatitis C awareness

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day. Both observances highlight the importance of screening for viral hepatitis, a liver condition.

In the United States, hepatitis C (hep C) is the most common type of viral hepatitis and a leading cause of liver cancer. The hep C-related death rate is disproportionately high among American Indians and Alaska Natives, compared with the overall U.S. population.

Help address that disparity by sharing the American Indian Cancer Foundation’s hep C resource (PDF, 1.7 MB, 2 pp), which highlights the importance of prevention, testing, and treatment.

Also, let people know hep C treatment is often successful and is generally covered by insurance.

Additional resources

Campaign to expand access to STI testing

A syphilis epidemic continues to disproportionately affect American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be cured when it is caught early. Left untreated, it can lead to cancer or blindness.

Common barriers to STI testing and treatment include concerns about stigma and privacy. That’s why the campaign, Indigi-IWTK (I Want the Kit), was launched—to help expand the availability of free STI test kits that can be ordered online and used in the comfort of one’s home.

Indigi-IWTK offers outreach materials that encourage people to order the test kits, which can be used to look for syphilis and other STIs.

Funding opportunities

USDA grants to increase access to fresh local food

Deadline: May 14

Two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs are offering grants for projects to help increase consumer access to fresh local food and develop new market opportunities for farmers and other agricultural businesses.

• The Farmers Market Promotion Program supports efforts to expand and improve the operation of farmers markets and roadside stands.
• The Local Food Promotion Program supports food hubs, community-supported agriculture, and other intermediaries that connect food producers and consumers.

Tribal governments are eligible to apply.

Social and Economic Development Strategies

Deadline: May 22
View the SEDS funding opportunity

Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) grants support projects designed to:

• Grow local economies
• Strengthen Native families
• Address challenges stemming from a lack of community-based businesses

Approximately 14 SEDS grants will be issued. Tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations are encouraged to apply.

Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska

Deadline: May 22
View the SEDS-AK funding opportunity

Social and Economic Development Strategies for Alaska (SEDS-AK) grants provide targeted support for Alaska Native village governments’ efforts to achieve social and economic self-sufficiency.

The Administration for Children and Families expects to award two SEDS-AK grants. Applications should feature community-driven projects to build and strengthen village-level governmental capacity in the areas of administration and project management.

Tribal Self-Governance Program planning and negotiation

Deadline: June 12

Two types of Tribal Self-Governance Program funding opportunities are available:

1. Indian Health Service (IHS) expects to award three planning cooperative agreements of $180,000 each.
   
   Planning cooperative agreements are intended to make sure tribes, tribal organizations, and inter-tribal consortia are fully prepared to assume the transfer of IHS programs and services to their tribal health program.
   
   
2. IHS expects to award three negotiation cooperative agreements of $84,000 each.
   
   Negotiation cooperative agreements are intended to help defray the costs of preparing for and engaging in Tribal Self-Governance Program negotiations.

Calendar of events