CMS Division of Tribal Affairs Important information for our tribal partners

SAVE THE DATE

All Tribes Webinar- Returning to Routine Operations after the Public Health Emergency as it Relates to Medicaid and CHIP Disaster Relief SPAs and 1135 Waivers

Date: Thursday, May 26, 2022

3:00-4:00 PM Eastern Time

Register Link:

https://kauffmaninc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Lvi1g_NEQc-_rhtfeV8zQA

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Division of Tribal Affairs, in collaboration with the CMS Division of Program Operations is holding this All Tribes Webinar to discuss returning to routine operations after the Public Health Emergency (PHE), as it relates to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Disaster Relief SPAs and 1135 Waivers.

The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the planning and actions states will need to take as the PHE comes to an end.  States must comply with regulatory and statutory requirements when transitioning back to normal operations.

States will be reviewing flexibilities used during the PHE to determine which flexibilities will no longer be needed and which ones they may want to continue temporarily or on a permanent basis.  This presentation will focus on actions the states will be taking to enact those decisions.

To review the updated CMS guidance on planning for the resumption of normal state Medicaid, CHIP, and Basic Health Program (BHP) operations upon conclusion of the COVID-19 PHE, see the August 13, 2021 State Health Official Letter (SHO) #21-002 at https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sho-21-002.pdf

Save the Date: Tribal Listening Session on Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Services for Medicaid Beneficiaries

CMS will be hosting a focus session to gather your ideas on how we can improve Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services for Medicaid beneficiaries, with an emphasis on the experiences of Tribal communities with NEMT services.  

Under Section 209(b)(3) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Division CC, Title II, CMS was directed to convene meetings to facilitate discussion and shared learning in this area. CMS is looking for your recommendations and challenges associated with NEMT, not non-emergency transportation as authorized through 1915(c) waivers.

The purpose of this session is to hear from you, and we encourage you to share your ideas and experiences with us.  All the input that we receive will be considered when making updates to federal policy and operations. 

During the session, we are looking to gain your feedback and thoughts on Tribal-specific issues you may have encountered in reference to NEMT in Tribal communities.

When: Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET

Register Link: https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_CV6z1PJLS9KYQ_qDLIJaJA

For more information on provisions added by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Division CC, Title II, Section 209, concerning Medicaid coverage of certain medical transportation, please see the CMCS Informational Bulletin at  https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/cib071221.pdf

Do you or a family member currently have health coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)?

If so, you may soon need to take steps to find out if you can continue your coverage. Soon, states will resume Medicaid and CHIP eligibility reviews. This means some people with Medicaid or CHIP could be disenrolled from those programs. However, they may be eligible to buy a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace ®, and get help paying for it.

Here are some things you can do to prepare.

• Make sure your address is up to date.
• Make sure your state has your current mailing address, phone number, email, or other contact information. This way, they’ll be able to contact you about your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.

Get more information

• Contact your state Medicaid office or visit Medicaid.gov for more information about Medicaid or CHIP renewal.
• Call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to get details about Marketplace coverage. TTY users can call 1-855-889-4325.

Join us for an All Tribes Call Listening Session on the CMS Rural Health Strategy “Refresh”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health Council is hosting a public, virtual listening session on the May 17th All Tribes Call to receive feedback from Tribal leaders and Tribal health directors on its current Rural Health Strategy. The CMS Rural Health Strategy was developed in 2018 with input from rural communities, and focuses on five objectives to advance rural health:

1. Apply a rural lens to CMS programs and policies
2. Improve access to care through provider engagement and support
3. Advance telehealth and telemedicine
4. Empower patients in rural communities to make decisions about their healthcare
5. Leverage partnerships to achieve the goals of the CMS Rural Health Strategy

To ensure the CMS Rural Health Strategy reflects the needs and priorities of those living and working in rural and frontier communities, including Tribal Nations and U.S. territories, CMS invites you to join an All Tribes Call listening session to provide your feedback on its current Rural Health Strategy and help improve CMS’ approach to advancing health equity for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations residing in rural areas. Tribal leaders, Tribal health directors and AI/AN individuals with lived experience receiving healthcare or supporting healthcare service delivery in rural AI/AN communities are encouraged to attend the listening session to provide real-time feedback.

When: Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET

Click Here to Register or Visit https://mitre.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscumprDkqGfNxlWWvy_btVeeQlBwZlms

Additional Information

Current CMS Rural Health Strategy for Review: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/OMH/Downloads/Rural-Strategy-2018.pdf (PDF)

Pleas Note - Prior to the listening session, you are encouraged to review the CMS Rural Health Strategy (PDF), and be prepared to speak to the following topic areas during the call:

1. Which of the CMS Rural Health Strategy objectives should CMS continue to prioritize in order to improve the health and well being of AI/AN individuals residing in rural areas?
2. What is missing from the current CMS Rural Health Strategy objectives? What should be updated to better reflect the needs and priorities of the Indian, Tribal and Urban (I/T/U) health system?
3. What can CMS do in collaboration with Tribal partners to advance health equity for AI/AN communities living in rural areas?

The listening session can accommodate up to 500 participants, so register early to guarantee your participation.

If you have any questions about the CMS Rural Health Strategy listening sessions, please send to: RuralHealth@cms.hhs.gov.

Indian Health Service, Tribal and Urban Indian organization Information for COVID-19 Healthcare Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule

On November 4th, CMS published an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (CMS-3415-IFC) requiring COVID-19 vaccination of applicable staff at specific Medicare-certified health care providers and suppliers to protect those fighting this virus on the front lines while also delivering assurances to individuals and their families that they will be protected when seeking care. 

CMS held an All Tribes Consultation Webinar on November 18, 2021, a recording of that call is here.  Due to questions and comments about the COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule, the Division of Tribal Affairs and Center for Clinical Standards and Quality held a follow up All Tribes Consultation Webinar on February 10, 2022, here is the link to the power point presentation (PDF) and a recording of that call will be posted in the near future under the All Tribes webpage. 

Resources for Tribal Facilities and Healthcare Providers

CCN List of Tribal Facilities (PDF) – CMS worked with Indian Health Services (IHS) to create a comprehensive listing of IHS and Tribal facilities that are Medicare-certified or Medicare/Medicaid certified and have a CMS Certification Number (CCN).  This listing is informational only. 

CCN List of UIO Facilities (PDF) – CMS worked with Indian Health Services (IHS) to create a comprehensive listing of Urban Indian Organization (UIO) facilities that are Medicare-certified or Medicare/Medicaid certified and have a CMS Certification Number (CCN).  This listing is informational only. 

QCOR Website – QCOR is a database of providers and suppliers of Medicare and Medicaid services.  This is great resource to see if your facility is Medicare-certified.  Need help navigating QCOR?  No problem.  Please see a copy of our presentation for the February 10^th call (PDF), which includes slides on how to access, search, and verify your facility’s information on the QCOR website.

Tribal Specific Fact Sheet (PDF) – Tribal Affairs created this useful one pager as a quick guide to answer any basic questions about the COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule. 

Guidance for the Interim Final Rule – This website provides state specific guidance, including survey procedures for assessing and maintaining compliance with these regulatory requirements.

2022-2023 Calendar 

CMS Tribal Affairs develops outreach materials and fact sheets on Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Insurance Marketplace, to educate and encourage enrollment of AI/ANs into these programs. We are pleased to announce the release of an 18^th month calendar, January 2022 to June 2023, featuring health information, website links to excellent resources, planning space for items applicable to your family, and other ways to improve your overall health.  The information in the calendar is intended to assist Tribal families in taking better control of their health, including enrollment in health coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

For more information about CMS Tribal Affairs outreach materials, visit http://go.cms.gov/AIAN-OutreachEducationResources.   To order the CMS Tribal 2022 -2023 calendar or any of our outreach materials, please visit our website at https://go.cms.gov/CMS-TribalProducts.   All materials are free and you can order as many as you need.

Please visit the CMS Tribal Affairs website to learn about upcoming webinars and training opportunities, at http://go.cms.gov/AIAN or if you need assistance or have questions, please email us at tribalaffairs@cms.hhs.gov.

We hope you enjoy the calendar!

Kitty Marx, Director

CMS Tribal Affairs

Help spread the word to promote COVID-19 vaccination so we can reach community immunity.

We Can Do This. We’re working to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence, encourage prevention, and support our partners’ efforts to reach their communities.

Through strong partnerships with tribes and urban Indian organizations across Indian Country, the Indian Health Service has administered more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccines in Native communities, but there is still more work to do to reach community immunity.

You can help by:

• AIAN Toolkit https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/aian-triabal-leaders-toolkit
• Sharing resources for American Indian and Alaska Native communities  .
• Joining the COVID-19 Community Corps   and receive weekly emails featuring tips, news, and resources to share with your community.
• Using new social media profile frames   to display your choice to get vaccinated and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Flu Resources (Print Ads, Fillable Flyer, Bookmark)

• Flu Shots Covered by Medicare Print Ad (PDF)
  (PDF, 388 KB, 1 pp)
• Flu Shots Covered by Medicaid and CHIP Print Ad (PDF)
  (PDF, 251 KB, 1 pp)
• Flu Shots Covered by Medicare Fillable Flyer (PDF)
  (PDF, 371 KB, 1 pp)
• Flu Shots Covered by Medicaid and CHIP Fillable Flyer (PDF)
  (PDF, 378 KB, 1 pp)
• Flu Shots Covered by Medicare Bookmark (PDF)
  (PDF, 547 KB, 2 pp)
• Flu Shots Covered by Medicaid and CHIP Bookmark (PDF)
  (PDF, 378 KB, 1 pp)

Email Signature Blocks

•  Child patient  (PDF) Flu message
•  Health provider & adult patient ITU Trusted Source of Care
•  Female health provider ITU Trusted Source of Care
•  Adult patient getting eye exam ITU Trusted Source of Care
•  Health provider & child patient ITU Trusted Source of Care