Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

Legislative and Policy Update

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Important Dates

Aug. 31, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

HHS OCR Tribal Consultation on Section 1557 Nondiscrimination in Health Programs 

Registration Link

Sep. 1, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific)

CMS All Tribes Webinar on Proposed Policy Changes

for Medicare Payments

2023 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule

Registration Link

Sep. 1, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific)

NCAI-NARF Lawyer Lobbyist Call on Castro Huerta Decision

Registration Link

Sep. 1, 2022 (12:00 PM Pacific) 

IHS September All Tribes Call 

Sep. 5, 2022

Labor Day Holiday – NPAIHB

Sep. 6-9, 2022 

STAC Meeting — New Mexico  

Sep. 8, 2022 (9:30 AM Pacific)

NPAIHB Special Board Meeting

Sep. 8, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific)

Tribal Leader Roundtable on the Castro-Huerta Decision

Registration Link

Sep. 12, 2022 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

OMB Tribal Consultation on FY 2024 Budget 

Registration Link

Sep. 12, 2022 (2:00 PM Pacific)

September THD Learning Collaborative Meeting

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) 

Sep. 15, 2022 (12:00 PM Pacific)

DSTAC Monthly Call

Sep. 19, 2022 (12:00 PM Pacific)

MMPC Monthly Meeting

Sep. 18-22, 2022

ATNI Annual Convention—Tulalip Tribes

Registration Link

Sep. 21, 2022 (10:00 AM Pacific)

IHS NTAC 3^rd Quarter Meeting

Zoom 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

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 [email protected]. 

Tribal Consultation Updates

HHS Region 10 Tribal Consultation Dear Tribal Leader Letter. HHS Region 10 hosted tribal consultation last week in Portland, OR.  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

CMS All Tribes Webinar on Physician Fee Schedule Rule. CMS is hosting an All Tribes Webinar on Sep. 1, 2022 at 11:00 AM Pacific to provide an overview of proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule and other Medicare Part B issues. Comments on the Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule are due Sep. 6, 2022.

• Registration Link for Sep. 1 All Tribes Webinar
• View the Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule Here.

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 [email protected]

DOJ and DOI Listening Sessions on Castro-Huerta.  The Department of Justice and Department of Interior are hosting joint listening sessions on Sep. 26 & 27, 2022 at 12 PM Pacific to discuss the impact of the recent Supreme Court decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta. 

• Sep. 26 Listening Session Registration Link
• Sep. 27 Listening Session Registration Link

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 [email protected] and [email protected]. The vaccine will start shipping on Aug. 15, 2022.   

• Register for the HHS IEA Weekly Briefing on Monkeypox Here
• Monkeypox FAQs: Schools and Childcare

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 announcing SDPI FY 2023 Grant Decision Here.  

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.
• Draft Tribal Template Letter Available 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

NPAIHB Joins the Tribal Amicus Brief in Support of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments for Brackeen v. Haaland on Nov. 9, 2022. This 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.

• Read the Tribal Amicus Brief here.   

For more information:

Laura Platero, Executive Director 

Liz Coronado, Senior Policy Advisor

Candice Jimenez, Health Policy Specialist

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board | Website