Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

Legislative and Policy Update

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Important Dates

Aug. 12, 2022 (10:00 AM Pacific)

Director’s Workgroup on Improving PRC Meeting

Aug. 12, 2022 (11:30 AM Pacific)

White House Native Women Symposium on Health

Registration Link

Aug. 16, 2022 (9:00 AM Pacific)

National Tribal Health Equity Summit

Registration

Aug. 17, 2022 (1:00 PM Pacific)

TLDC Bi-Monthly Call

Aug. 17, 2022 (3:30 PM Pacific)

Portland Area Tribal Caucus for HHS Region 10 Consultation

Aug. 18, 2022 (8:00 AM Pacific)

IHS Director’s Advisory Workgroup on Tribal Consultation Strategy Session

Aug. 19, 2022 (9:00 AM Pacific)

NTBFW FY 2024 Evaluation and 2025 Planning Meeting

Aug. 22-24, 2022

HHS Region 10 One-on-One and Tribal Consultation — Portland, OR (hybrid)

Registration Link

Aug. 23-24, 2022

ISAC Fall Semi-Annual Meeting — Rockville, MD (hybrid)

Zoom Link

Aug. 31, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific)

HHS OCR Tribal Consultation on Section 1557 Nondiscrimination in Health Programs

Registration Link

Federal Health Agency and Congress Tracker (FHACT) An ongoing list of Dear Tribal Leader Letters, Federal agency actions, and legislation introduced in the 117th Congress related to health.

An ongoing tracker of COVID-19 direct and set-aside funding for Tribes. Updated as of Aug. 2, 2021.

Legislative Updates

President Biden Signs into Law S. 3373, Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. This will provide automatic eligibility for medical care, including mental health services and counseling from the Department of Veterans Affairs to servicemembers who have contracted any of 23 conditions after being exposed to toxic substances from military deployment overseas. 

Senate Passes H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act budget reconciliation legislation by a 51-50 party line vote with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking ballot. This Act would extend for two years federal health care premium subsidies and to allow Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the cost of certain prescription drugs. Tribal specific funding includes:

• $220 million for Tribal Climate Resilience and Adaptation at the BIA;
• $145.5 million for Tribal Electrification Program;
• $75 million for the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program;
• $12.5 million for Emergency Drought Relief for Tribes; and
• $10 million for BIA fish hatchery operations and maintenance programs.

*The House is expected to reconvene briefly this week to vote on H.R. 5376. 

Tribal Consultation Updates

HHS Region 10 Tribal Consultation Dear Tribal Leader Letter. HHS Region 10 will be hosting tribal consultation on Aug. 22-24, 2022. Both in-person and virtual attendance will be available. Consultation will be held in Portland, OR at Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland. One on one meetings will be held August 22.  

• To attend virtually, Zoom Registration Link
• Written Testimony is due to [email protected] by Sep. 2, 2022

HHS Tribal Consultation on Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities. The Office of Civil Rights is hosting a tribal consultation on Aug. 31, 2022 at 11:00 AM Pacific on a notice of proposed rulemaking on implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act related to Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities. 

• Registration link for Aug. 31 Consultation
• Written comments are due Oct. 3, 2022

Administrative and Regulatory Updates

White House Native Women Symposium Series Session on Health. The White House invites tribal leaders and youth on Aug. 12, 2022 at 11:30 AM Pacific to discuss the mental health crises in Indian Country and the social determinants of health impacting AI/AN communities. 

• Registration link for Health Symposium

IHS Announces New Portland Area Director, CAPT Marcus Martinez. CAPT Martinez, a member of the Spokane Tribe of Indians, has more than 27 years of experience working with Federal agencies, Tribes, and local governments. He has held multiple leadership roles, including CEO of Wellpinit Service Unit from 2009-2019 and Portland Area IHS Office of Environmental Health and Engineering Director.  

IHS Posts the RFP for Indian Health Service HIT Modernization. The IHS has posted online the Request for Proposal for commercial products to replace the Resource and Patient Management System.

• View the RFP HERE.

HRSA Provider Relief Funds Reporting Portal Open for Period 3.

• Just a reminder that the PRF Reporting Portal opened on July 1, 2022 and will remain open through Sep. 30, 2022 for Reporting Period 3.  

*Grace period ended on Nov. 30, 2021.

Litigation Updates

• Brackeen Update. The Supreme Court has announced the hearing date for Brackeen v. Haaland on Nov. 9, 2022. The case involves challenges to ICWA, which have the potential to dismantle this long-standing law and affect the wellbeing of children, families, and tribes who are currently protected by it. 

For more information:

Laura Platero, Executive Director 

Liz Coronado, Senior Policy Advisor

Candice Jimenez, Health Policy Specialist

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board | Website