May 2014 Blogs

Special Diabetes Program for Indians Update

In a blog posted on April 24, I provided an update on the recommendations of the Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee (TLDC) on the funding distribution for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) extension through FY 2015. I recently sent a letter to Tribes with an update on the SDPI with my decision to concur with the recommendations of the TLDC on the funding distribution for the extension of funding through FY 2015. Here is a copy of the letter [PDF - 25 KB], which is also posted on our Dear Tribal Leader Letter webpage. Moving forward, the FY 2015 President's Budget Request proposes a 3-year reauthorization of the SDPI. The TLDC will continue discussions on recommendations for the funding distribution if we receive a multiyear reauthorization in the future.

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Tribal Delegation Meetings in April

IHS held Tribal Delegation Meetings with the following Tribes during the month of April: Koi Nation; Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribe; San Carlos Apache Tribe; Gila River Indian Community; and Pueblo of Acoma. Here are pictures from some of the meetings:

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Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee

I recently attended the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C., where we discussed several issues, including contract support costs, advanced appropriations, Medicare-like rates, and other budget issues. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Affordable Care Act Update

Now that open enrollment is closed for 2014 for the general public, I hope everyone knows that for American Indians and Alaska Natives, we still have a lot to do to ensure that they understand the benefits available to them. There are three things that are important to know: (1) tribal members are eligible for special monthly enrollment periods throughout the year; (2) individuals can still apply for Medicaid during the entire year and might be newly eligible in states with the Medicaid expansion; and (3) tribal members and those eligible for services at IHS can fill out the exemption application to avoid paying the minimum responsibility payment for not having qualifying health coverage.

IHS continues to implement the Affordable Care Act in its facilities, primarily through outreach and assistance with enrollment in our local business offices. We also continue to partner with national tribal organizations and to conduct outreach activities in our 12 IHS Areas. For more information, please visit our ACA website, or if you have questions, email acainformation@ihs.gov.

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Crow/Northern Cheyenne Service Unit Site Visit

I visited the Crow/Northern Cheyenne Service Unit in March and had the chance to meet with staff and learn how they are working to make improvements in care at the facility. Here are pictures from the site visit:

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Contract Support Costs Update

Today I sent a letter to Tribes providing an update on Contract Support Costs (CSC), including updates on past CSC claims settlement, CSC appropriations, the distribution of CSC funding this year, and the consultation on the long term solution for CSC amounts. I announced during the Annual Tribal Self Governance Consultation Conference last week that we have made significant progress on settling past CSC claims, especially since we have committed increased resources and staff and recently adopted a more efficient settlement approach. Here is the copy of the letter [PDF - 97 KB] and a slide [PDF - 173 KB] from my presentation from last week's conference. You can find the full text of the Self Governance Conference presentation [PDF - 228 KB] on our Director's Speeches webpage.

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Montana Urban Indian Health Programs

I met with urban Indian health programs from Montana and others attending the NIHB Tribal Public Health Summit at the Indian Health Board of Montana in Billings, MT. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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IHS Billings Area Listening Session

I held a listening session with the IHS Billings Area Tribes in March right before the NIHB Tribal Public Health Summit. During the session, I heard input and concerns from Tribes in Montana and Wyoming. Here are pictures from the session:

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National Indian Health Board Tribal Public Health Summit

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) held its Tribal Public Health Summit in Billings, MT, in March. I met with the Board while I was in Billings, and provided an IHS update during the Summit. I appreciate our partnership with the NIHB on improving health in tribal communities. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Indian Health Care Improvement Act Implementation Update

We completed an update to our table that summarizes progress on IHS' implementation of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act reauthorization for each of the new provisions. Here is a copy of the table [PDF – 437KB] for your reference.