|
HHS Region 10 Tribal Issues Tracker: HHS updates the tracker regularly and sends the link out every other month for your review. You can find the most recent version Here.
IHS Releases Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2025-2029: The IHS Strategic Plan for FYs 2025-2029 includes a revised vision statement, new goals, and a description of goals the Agency hopes to achieve over the next 5 years.
Department of Energy (DOE) Issues Revised Tribal Resources: To help states, territories, and Tribes apply for their Home Energy Rebates. DOE has updated the following documents to simplify the process for Tribes as they apply for their Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program funding:
HRSA Announces Complete Lists of Health Professional Shortage Areas. The new lists, maintained and updated by HRSA’s Data Warehouse, were announced in the Federal Register. They identify all geographic areas, population groups, and facilities designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Designations that are currently proposed for withdrawal will remain in this status until a second notice is published in the Federal Register.
CMS Final Rule on Medicaid Four Walls Exception for IHS and Tribally Operated Clinics: On Friday, November 1, 2025, CMS finalized several Indian Country priorities in the Final Rule. The Final Rule:
- creates a permanent fix that will allow Tribal facilities to bill Medicaid for services provided outside the four walls of a facility without the need for a grace period;
- creates a separate Medicare Part B add-on payment for high-cost drugs provided by IHS and Tribal hospital outpatient services;
- commits to working with the CMS TTAG on its priority to allow all tribal clinics to bill Medicare at the Outpatient AIR
CMS Approved four state section 1115 demonstration amendments that allow Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of traditional healthcare practices provided by Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, Tribal facilities, and Urban Indian Organizations. The approval will apply to IHS facilities, Tribal facilities, and Urban Indian Organizations in California, New Mexico, and Oregon, and will apply to only IHS and Tribal facilities in Arizona.
Administration for Children and Families (ACF): HHS awards $3.7B to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help households lower their home energy costs. LIHEAP is administered by ACF’s Office of Community Services, which releases annual funding to states, tribes, and territories that directly assist low-income households struggling to afford their energy bills.
IHS FY 2025 Joint Venture Construction Program (JVCP): IHS recently announced the opening of a new solicitation for the JVCP. Section 818 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act authorizes the IHS to establish joint venture projects under which Tribes or Tribal organizations would acquire, construct, or renovate a healthcare facility and lease it to the IHS, at no cost, for a period of 20 years. The facility may be an inpatient or outpatient facility. Phase I applications are due December 22.
Happy Holidays NPAIHB Pets! As we get into the holiday season, we don’t want to forget about our Pet Health. The link below helps us navigate some foods that can be dangerous, and even deadly, to our pets. What foods to Avoid?
HHS Takes Action on the Not Invisible Act Commission’s Findings and Recommendations: Today, in its response to the findings and recommendations - PDF of the Not Invisible Act Commission (NIAC), HHS reaffirms its commitment to address the ongoing crises of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking by elevating its social and health care services tied to the prevention, intervention, and healing from violence and trauma.
Call for Nominations to the CMS Health Equity Advisory Committee – December 12. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requests nominations for members to their newly formed Health Equity Advisory Committee (HEAC). This Committee will advise and make recommendations to CMS on how they can promote quality and access for beneficiaries in all CMS programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. Nominations must be submitted by email to HEAC@cms.hhs.gov with the subject line “HEAC Nomination” by December 12.
Updated Catalogue of Resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH).
SAMHSA Resources:
OASH Resources:
This campaign is a collaboration between the CDC and the Office of Minority Health in OASH.
This article highlights some of the work of the Center for Indigenous Innovation and - - Health Equity (Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity (CIIHE) | Office of Minority Health) on food sovereignty.
-
Food is Medicine
-
Syphilis resources
- The OASH staff in Region 10 are working to advance efforts in all of these areas. If you have any questions or would like to be included in updates or convenings, please reach out to Renée Bouvion, Regional Health Administrator for OASH at renee.bouvion@hhs.gov.
Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH): CMS OMH is committed to helping AI/AN community meet their health care needs. We encourage you to share the resource links with those you serve.
- Download the Coverage to Care Roadmap to Better Care (Tribal Version), which explains how to use health coverage to get primary care and preventive services and highlights special protections for American Indians and Alaska Natives under Marketplace, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- Explore the CMS Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal and Geographically Isolated Communities, which outlines six priority areas for how CMS will focus efforts to achieve health equity for rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities.
- View a data snapshot, Chronic Condition Prevalence Among Medicare Fee-For-Service Enrollees With COVID-19, to learn about COVID-19 prevalence and hospitalization rates among Medicaid fee-for-service enrollees by race/ethnicity and gender.
- Read our data snapshot, Ischemic Heart Disease Disparities in Medicare Fee-For-Service Beneficiaries, to find important information about racial and ethnic disparities in coronary artery disease prevalence among Medicare fee-for-service enrollees.
- Check out the CMS Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) for information on the Government-to-Government relationship and understanding between CMS and tribes.
- Visit the American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month Lecture Series webpage to view past lectures from the CMS American Indian and Alaska Native Employee Resource Group in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
| 
