Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

Legislative and Policy Update

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Important Dates

Aug. 19, 2022 (9:00 AM Pacific) 

NTBFW FY 2024 Evaluation and 2025 Planning Meeting 

Aug. 19, 2022 (3:30 PM Pacific) 

Joint Portland and Alaska Caucus for HHS Region 10 Consultation 

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. 24, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

NIH TAC Virtual Monthly Meeting 

Aug. 25, 2022 (10:00 AM Pacific) 

ACF TAC Interim Meeting 

Aug. 26, 2022 (10:00 AM Pacific) 

SAMHSA Behavioral Health/Medicaid Action Response Group Meeting 

Aug. 31, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

HHS OCR Tribal Consultation on Section 1557 Nondiscrimination in Health Programs 

Registration Link

Sep. 1, 2022 (12:00 PM Pacific) 

IHS September All Tribes Call 

Sep. 6-9, 2022 

STAC Meeting — New Mexico   

Sep. 12, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

OMB Tribal Consultation on FY 2024 Budget 

Registration Link

Sep. 13-14, 2022 

TLDC Meeting — San Diego, CA (hybrid) 

Sep. 14, 2022 (11:30 AM Pacific) 

TTAG Conference Call 

Sep. 14-15, 2022 

FAAB Meeting — Alaska (hybrid) 

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 service members who have contracted any of 23 conditions after being exposed to toxic substances from military deployment overseas.   

President Biden Signs into Law H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act budget reconciliation legislation. This Act extends 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. 

See TSGAC Brief on ACA and Medicare Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. 

NIHB and NCAI Seeking Tribal Testimony on Advance Appropriations. Tribes need advance appropriations for IHS funding now. Allies in Congress are asking for your stories to help get their colleagues on board. Members of Congress frequently ask, “Why do Tribes need Advance Appropriations?” and “How do funding disruptions harm Tribal nations and their people?” Please complete the NIHB and NCAI Survey and you will be entered to win a Pendleton.   

• For questions on the survey, please contact NIHB Director of Government Relations Aaron Payment at apayment@nihb.org.   

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 consultation@hhs.gov 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 rule making 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 

OMB Tribal Consultation on FY 2024 President’s Budget. OMB has announced virtual consultation on Sep. 12, 2022 at 11:00 AM Pacific to seek tribal input on the development of the President’s FY 2024 Budget.   

• Registration Link for Sep. 12 Consultation 
• Written comments are due Oct. 14, 2022 to tribalconsultation@omb.eop.gov  

Administrative and Regulatory Updates

HHS Declares Monkeypox Public Health Emergency. On Aug. 4, 2022, HHS Secretary Becerra declares the ongoing spread of monkeypox virus a public health emergency. IHS has received a limited initial allocation of Monkeypox medical countermeasures, including the JYNNEOS vaccine and oral medication TPOXX. IHS and Tribal health facilities may request these countermeasures through the IHS National Supply Service Center by submitting an IHS-413 form to aaron.wyatt@ihs.gov and cathy.thomas2@ihs.gov. The vaccine will start shipping on Aug. 15, 2022.   

• Register for the HHS IEA Weekly Briefing on Monkeypox Here. 

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. 

IHS Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) FY 2023 Grant Application Now Open. The Notice of Funding Opportunity announcement for FY 2023 SDPI grants has been posted and is open to all eligible applicants, including Tribes that have not previously been awarded an SDPI grant. The deadline to apply is Oct. 7, 2022 for SDPI FY 2023 funding. Dear Tribal Leader Letter will be coming soon.   

CMS Federal Comment Period for WA’s 1115 Demonstration Waiver Now Open. Washington State submitted a request for a five-year extension of its Medicaid Transformation Project 1115 Demonstration Waiver. The federal comment period for this application will be open until Aug. 31, 2022. NPAIHB and AIHC are working on comments.   

• View the Pending Application Here. 

HRSA Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality. The Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality (ACIMM) will be conducting a meeting at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in Prior Lake, MN on Sep. 13-15, 2022. ACIMM would like to hear directly from tribal communities on improving birth outcomes of AI/AN mothers and infants. More information to attend the meeting in-person or virtually will be coming soon.   

• Dear Tribal Leader Letter Announcing ACIMM Meeting 

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