Covering Indian Country – January 2025

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Covering Indian Country

January 2025

Alarm clock with the message, "Last chance. Open enrollment ends January 15. Be healthy. Get covered."

Spotlight: 2025 Marketplace coverage

January 15 is the last day of the current open enrollment period for Marketplace coverage. However, tribal members who qualify for a special enrollment period can enroll in 2025 Marketplace coverage after that date.

Having health insurance increases the chances that consumers will make their health a priority. People with health insurance are more likely to see a primary care provider regularly for preventive health services, like diabetes screening, diet counseling, and interventions to help them stop smoking. Marketplace plans cover all of these services and more.

January 15 is the last day of open enrollment for 2025 Marketplace coverage.

As the Marketplace enrollment deadline approaches, the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs (DTA) encourages American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families to visit HealthCare.gov, where they can:

  • Learn about their coverage options
  • Apply for a 2025 plan that meets their needs

Additionally, DTA recommends that enrollment assisters review and share the following resources:

  • Health Coverage Options for AI/ANs (PDF, 208 KB, 10 pp) has information about coverage options available through the Marketplace, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program.
  • Know Before You Go (PDF, 127 KB, 1 p) outlines how services received in primary care settings differ from those received in emergency departments.

January: Live better

Drop-in ad features smiling person with three sticky notes that read (1) Challenge yourself, (2) Be kind, and (3) Positive attitude. The ad's main text reads, "Resolve to live better! Set realistic goals and list the steps you'll take to achieve them."

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

New 2023 twitter logo x icon designPost it

Need help setting wellness goals for the new year? Contact your local Indian health care provider today!

https://youtu.be/WK2OwTQfBLk

#CMSNativeHealth

CMS tribal products

Collage features two resources: (1) Three pages from the updated tribal version of the Roadmap to Better Care and (2) the front cover and January 2025 page from the 2024-2025 monthly calendar

Download these resources or order print copies on the tribal products ordering page. Please allow 2 weeks for your order to be completed.

 

Health observances

Cover of AICAF's 2025 Turquoise Thursday toolkit

Cervical cancer prevention

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and Turquoise Thursday is January 16. Both observances focus on preventing cervical cancer, a disease that disproportionately impacts Native communities.

Help reduce the number of cases of cervical cancer in Indian Country by sharing the American Indian Cancer Foundation’s (AICAF) newest resources, which include a:

The majority of cases of cervical cancer are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). For that reason, AICAF supports HPV vaccination, which is recommended for people ages 11–26 who have not already been exposed to HPV. Most health insurance plans cover HPV vaccination.

Additionally, AICAF highlights the role of Pap smears and HPV tests in looking for abnormal cell changes that might lead to cervical cancer if left untreated.

Additional resources

Call for IHS injury prevention award nominations

The Indian Health Service (IHS) Division of Environmental Health Services Injury Prevention Program invites you to submit nominations for the Rick Smith Injury Prevention Award (PDF, 585 KB, 5 pp).

The award recognizes individuals and groups whose projects or programs have addressed injury risks or rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Email nominations to IHS by February 7, close of business Eastern. Before submitting, read about the nomination process and format requirements.

Funding opportunities

Grants for tribal library services

Deadline: February 4
View the tribal library services funding opportunity

The Native American Basic Grants program is offering funds to help tribal libraries continue providing resources that enhance community wellbeing.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services expects to award 170 grants of up to $10,000 each for a 1-year performance period.

RWJ Foundation summer enrichment program

Deadline: February 5
View the RWJ Foundation funding opportunity

The Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation invites undergraduate students to apply for the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP).

Offered at 11 universities, the free, 6-week enrichment program includes housing, meals, a stipend, and travel assistance. Program scholars will receive guidance from current admissions deans, health professionals, students, and SHPEP alumni about how to pursue their profession of interest.

Eligible applicants include enrolled college freshmen, sophomores, or juniors from populations that are underrepresented in the sciences.

Grants for broadband infrastructure and internet access

Deadline: February 7
View the digital equity capacity funding opportunity

Tribal communities are encouraged to apply for Native Entity Capacity & Planning Grants to fund projects that increase:

  • Availability and affordability of broadband technology
  • Online accessibility and inclusiveness of public resources and services
  • Digital literacy
  • Awareness of online privacy and cybersecurity
  • Availability and affordability of consumer devices and technical support for those devices

Examples of effective digital equity and inclusion initiatives in tribal communities (PDF, 44 MB, 5 pp) are available online.

Physicians of Tomorrow scholarships

Deadline: February 17 at 11:59 p.m. Central
View the Physicians of Tomorrow funding opportunities

The American Medical Association Foundation is offering Physicians of Tomorrow scholarships to medical students from populations that are underrepresented in medicine.

To be eligible, applicants must be entering their final year of study as a doctor of allopathic or osteopathic medicine at an accredited institution within the United States.

Udall undergraduate scholarships

Udall Foundation logo

Deadline: March 5 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain
View the Udall undergraduate funding opportunity

The Udall Foundation offers scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate sophomores and juniors pursuing careers related to tribal public policy, Native health care, or the environment.

The foundation anticipates awarding 55 scholarships of up to $7,000 each. New Udall scholars must be available to attend an orientation scheduled for August 4–8, in Tucson, Arizona.

For access to the application, contact a Udall faculty representative.

Calendar of events

Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Partner Webinars

January 8 at 3 p.m. Eastern
January 29 at 3 p.m. Eastern

Register for a Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Partner Webinar

CMS invites enrollment assisters to attend an upcoming webinar for crucial information and resources to help consumers navigate the Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period. Educational materials and toolkits to help consumers enroll in Marketplace health care coverage are available on CMS’s partner tools & toolkits web page.

Telebehavioral health webinars

Sponsored by the Indian Health Service TeleBehavioral Health Center of Excellence (TBHCE), these tele-education webinars are intended for health care team members.

Program Sustainability webinar series, 12 p.m. Eastern

  • January 13 – Value of Needs Assessments for Tribal Communities: Using Our Own Data for Sustainability
  • February 10 – Use of Logic Models for Building Partnerships and Aiming Towards Sustainability

TBCHE webinar series, 12 p.m. Eastern

  • January 14 – Rapidly Establishing a Collaborative Therapeutic Relationship Utilizing a Strength-Based Person-Centered Approach
  • January 28 – Risk Assessment and Safety Planning for People at Risk
  • February 11 – Helping People Identify What They Wish to Change and Enhancing Their Motivation to Do So
  • February 25 – Helping People Engage in Self-Care and Self-Compassion

Behavioral Health Integration webinar series, 12 p.m. Eastern

  • January 30 – Developing Patients’ Trust in Managing Opioid Use Disorder in Integrated Care Settings
  • February 13 – Comprehensive Case Management in an Integrated Care Setting
  • February 20 – Peer Support, Community Health Workers, and Cultural Healers as Integrated Care Ambassadors

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health webinar series, 2 p.m. Eastern

  • January 30 – Understanding Emotional and Behavioral Dysregulation in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • February 6 – Understanding Sensory Processing Disorders in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

UNITY’s 2025 Midyear Conference

Logo for United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc.

February 7–9
Phoenix, Arizona

Register for UNITY’s 2025 Midyear Conference

United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc.’s (UNITY) Midyear Conference will highlight community service and advocacy for Indigenous communities.

International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health

March 28–30
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Register for the International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health

The International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health explores programs and strategies to promote the wellbeing of Indigenous children and youth worldwide.

Early bird registration runs through February 26.

Banner for 11th International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health

Protecting Our Children Conference

March 30–April 2
Orlando, Florida, and virtual

Register for the Protecting Our Children Conference

The 43rd annual Protecting Our Children Conference theme is “Honoring the Sacred.” Sponsored by the National Indian Child Welfare Association, the conference is geared toward social service providers, legal professionals, children’s advocates, tribal leaders, and federal program staff.

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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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