2018 Letters
December 20, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director writes to update Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders on the Indian Health Service Headquarters reorganization. [PDF - 94 KB]December 11, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide an update on the mechanism to distribute behavioral health initiative funding. [PDF - 187 KB]- Enclosure: Summary of Tribal Consultation & Urban Confer Comments on the Behavioral Health Initiative Funding [PDF - 171 KB]
November 20, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Arizona Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Program to perform a detailed analysis of PRC implications and identify the feasibility for the entire State of Arizona to be identified as a Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Area. [PDF - 202 KB]November 19, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director provides Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders with an update on the Agency’s progress in certifying the suite of applications that comprise the Indian Health Service Resource and Patient Management System to meet certification criteria and standards specified in the 2015 Edition Health Information Technology published by the Office of the National Coordinator. [PDF – 104KB] [PDF - 104 KB]October 29, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide an update on recent developments related to Agency and Departmental initiatives to modernize health information technology infrastructure, applications, and capabilities in use throughout the Indian Health Service, Tribes, and Urban Indian Organizations. [PDF - 212 KB]October 26, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders to express the Indian Health Service’s (IHS) concern about sexual abuse of minors by a former IHS physician. [PDF - 107 KB]October 4, 2018
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce a new automated tool for electronically submitting Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund requests. [PDF - 93 KB]September 24, 2018
The Acting Director provides Tribal Leaders with a copy of the current IHS IT Service Catalog, which includes updated descriptions of the programs, services, functions, and activities carried out by the Headquarters Office of Information Technology and information on how Tribes can access OIT support services. [PDF - 98 KB]- Enclosure: IT Service Catalog version 1.0 April 2018 [PDF - 568 KB]
September 15, 2018
The Acting Director writes to update Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders on progress in resolving denied pharmacy claims from Pharmacy Benefit Manager CVS/Caremark. [PDF - 93 KB]September 14, 2018
The Acting Director writes to inform Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders of his decision on the IHS proposal to reprogram a portion of the fiscal year (FY) 2018 funding increase appropriated for inflation to fund lease cost agreements authorized under section 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and provides a summary of comments received. [PDF - 93 KB]- Enclosure: Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Comments Summary Indian Health Service Fiscal Year 2018 Increase [PDF - 31 KB]
August 17, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders to provide his decisions on the fiscal year 2018 Indian Health Care Improvement Fund formula. [PDF - 196 KB]August 1, 2018
The Acting Director notifies Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders that the deadline to submit comments on the funding mechanism to distribute behavioral health initiatives that are currently distributed through grants has been extended until August 17, 2018. [PDF - 115 KB]August 1, 2018
The Acting Director notifies Tribal Leaders that the deadline to submit comments on the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) – A Guide for Reporting Sanitation Deficiencies for American Indian and Alaska Native Homes and Communities has been extended until September 14, 2018. [PDF - 187 KB]July 24, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce a 30-day comment period on the Draft IHS Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2018-2022. [PDF - 93 KB]July 23, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide an update on Indian Health Service regulatory reform activities. [PDF - 141 KB]July 12, 2018
The Acting Director updates Tribal Leaders with his decisions on the fiscal year 2019 funding distribution for the Indian Health Service Special Diabetes Program for Indians. [PDF - 91 KB]July 10, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer on an impending funding decision that impacts a portion of the Agency’s inflation funding increases received in the IHS fiscal year 2018 appropriation to meet requirements of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, specifically at 25 U.S.C. § 5324(l), also referred to as “105(l).” [PDF - 190 KB]July 6, 2018
The Acting Director writes to notify Tribal Leaders that the deadline for submitting comments on the draft Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Chapter has been extended until Monday, August 6, 2018. [PDF - 130 KB]July 2, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on proposed updates to the Sanitation Deficiency System – A Guide for Reporting Sanitation Deficiencies for American Indian and Alaska Native Homes and Communities [PDF - 101 KB]- Enclosure: Key Updated SDS Guide Elements [PDF - 277 KB]
- Enclosure: Current SDS Scoring Factors [PDF - 191 KB]
- Enclosure: Sanitation Deficiency System Guide [PDF - 2 MB]
June 29, 2018
The Acting Director informs Tribal Leaders that the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Department of Veterans Affairs recently amended its agreement for reimbursement for direct health care services to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans at 77 IHS facilities. [PDF - 547 KB]- Enclosure: Amendment 3-Agreement between the VA/VHA and HHS/IHS for Reimbursement for Direct Health Care Services [PDF - 143 KB]
June 14, 2018
The Acting Director writes to invite Tribal Leaders to attend the 15th Annual Direct Service Tribes National Meeting. [PDF - 91 KB]June 8, 2018
The Acting Director writes to inform Tribal Leaders that there will be additional in-person Tribal Consultation sessions on the Indian Health Manual (IHM), Part 2 – “Services to Indians and Others,” Chapter 3 – "Purchased/Referred Care." [PDF - 94 KB]June 8, 2018
The Acting Director writes to initiate a Tribal Consultation on recommendations made by the Indian Health Care Improvement Fund (IHCIF) Workgroup to revise the formula used to allocate funding increases appropriated for the Indian Health Care Improvement Fund. [PDF - 214 KB]- IHCIF Workgroup Interim Report [PDF - 990 KB]
May 18, 2018
The Acting Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation on the Indian Health Service Indian Health Manual (IHM), Part 2 – “Services to Indians and Others, Chapter 3 – Purchased/Referred Care” at the request of Tribes. [PDF - 233 KB]- Manual Exhibit 2-3-A: Sample Template for Re-designation of Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Area [PDF - 183 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-B: This will be available soon. [PDF - ]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-C: Use of Purchased/Referred Care Fund in Support of Direct Care [PDF - 259 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-D: Acceptable Documentation for Proof of Residency [PDF - 43 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-E: Purchased/Referred Care Eligibility for Persons Visiting a Foreign Country [PDF - 43 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-F: Notice to Purchased/Referred Care Providers [PDF - 56 KB]
- Indian Health Manual Part 2 Chapter 3: Purchased/Referred Care [PDF - ]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-G: This will be available soon [PDF - ]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-H: Procedure for Setting Up and Running Electronic Signature [PDF - 64 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-I: Sample Purchased/Referred Care Denial Letter [PDF - 310 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-J: This will be available soon. [PDF - ]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-K: Sample Purchased/Referred Care Spending Plan [PDF - 1419 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-L: Sample Letter to Provider Follow-Up on an Outstanding Purchased/Delivery Order [PDF - 60 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-M: Reconciliation Document [PDF - 81 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-N: Fiscal Year 2017 CHEF Guidance [PDF - 2829 KB]
- Manual Exhibit 2-3-O: Unmet Need Memo and Tables [PDF - 538 KB]
The Acting Director writes to initiate a Tribal Consultation and an Urban Confer on the funding mechanism to distribute behavioral health initiatives that are currently distributed through grants. [PDF - 144KB]
- Enclosure: Schedule – Virtual Learning Series on Behavioral Health Initiative Funding [PDF - 436 KB]
April 13, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate a Tribal Consultation on the distribution of funding for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians in Fiscal year 2019. [PDF - 106 KB]The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the Indian Health Service Indian Health Manual, Part 6 – Services to Tribal Governments and Organizations, Chapter 3 – Contract Support Costs, specifically, section 6-3.2E(3) – Alternative Methods for Calculating Indirect Costs Associated with Recurring Service Unit Shares (commonly known as the “97/3 Method or 97/3 Split”). [PDF - 110 KB]
February 27, 2018
The Acting Director writes to Tribal Leaders to provide updates on efforts to expand the Community Health Aide Program. This includes: 1) formation of the CHAP Tribal Advisory Group (TAG), and 2) developing the formal policy and implementation plan. [PDF - 92.6 KB]Search
Archives
- 2024 Letters
- 2023 Letters
- 2022 Letters
- 2021 Letters
- 2020 Letters
- 2019 Letters
- 2018 Letters
- 2017 Letters
- 2016 Letters
- 2015 Letters
- 2014 Letters
- 2013 Letters
- 2012 Letters
- 2011 Letters
- 2010 Letters
- 2009 Letters
- 2008 Letters
- 2007 Letters
- 2006 Letters
- 2005 Letters
- 2004 Letters
- 2003 Letters
- 2002 Letters
- 2001 Letters
- 2000 Letters