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NPAIHB Legislative and Policy Update

Thursday, December 17, 2021

Important Dates

Dec. 21, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific)

NIH TAC Monthly Meeting


Dec 22, 2021 (12:00 PM Pacific)

IHS Tribal Consultation on Additional Funding—ARPA, Infrastructure, BBB

Zoom Link

 

Dec 24 - Jan 3, 2022

NPAIHB Offices Closed

 

Jan 12, 2022 (11:30 AM Pacific)

TTAG Conference Call

 

Jan 12, 2022 (1:00 PM Pacific)

CMS Tribal Consultation with Washington State Tribes – DHATs

Zoom Link

 

Jan 13, 2022 (10:00 AM Pacific)

HHS Consultation on Draft Strategic Plan

Zoom Link

 

Jan 13, 2022 (11:30 AM Pacific)

VA Listening Session –Updated Reimbursement Agreement

Adobe Link

 

Jan 18-20, 2022

NPAIHB QBM

 

Jan 20, 2022 (12:00 PM Pacific)

DSTAC Monthly Meeting

 

Jan 24-27, 2022

ATNI Virtual Winter Convention
Visit our FHACT Tracker

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.
COVID-19 Funding Tracker

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

Tribal Consultation Updates

IHS Tribal Consultation on Additional Funding. On Tuesday, IHS hosted tribal consultation on the allocation of an additional $210 million to the IHS from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for public health workforce activities, $3.5 billion for sanitation facilities under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the $2.35 billion under consideration by the Build Back Better Act. IHS has announced an additional consultation session on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 12:00 pm Pacific. 

 

CMS Tribal Consultation with Washington State Tribes. CMS will be conducting tribal consultation on Jan. 12, 2022 at 1-2 pm Pacific with Washington state Tribes to discuss the use of a 1115 demonstration waiver for Medicaid reimbursement of dental services provided by Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATs).  This consultation will be conducted during the Washington Health Care Authority and Department of Health monthly tribal meeting in January.


Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Tribal Listening Sessions. The VA will host two listening sessions regarding updating the VA’s Indian Health Service/Tribal Health Program (IHS/THP) Reimbursement Agreement Program (RAP) to include reimbursement for Purchased/Referred Care and patient travel. Inclusion of PRC into the program will require adopting a revised agreement template.

  • 2nd Session on Updated Reimbursement Agreement Template: Jan. 13, 2022 at 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Pacific; Adobe Connect Link
  • Written Comments due Feb. 13, 2022 to [email protected]


HHS Extends Consultation on the Draft Strategic Plan. HHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) announced a tribal consultation session on Jan. 13, 2022 at 10 am Pacific on the draft HHS Strategic Plan for FY 2022-2026. 


Interior Consultation on Boarding Schools Initiative.   The U.S. Department of the Interior held 3 consultation sessions in November to seek input on the implementation of the Indian Boarding School Initiative announced this past June. 

 

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Tribal Consultation(s) on Tribal Consultation Policy and Office of Head Start (OHS). ACF held their annual tribal consultation and Office of Head Start consultation last month.      

Administrative and Regulatory Updates

New HHS Region 10 Director, Ingrid Ulrey was recently appointed by President Biden.


SUNSET Final Rule Withdraw Proposal. HHS released a proposed rule to withdraw or repeal the Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely (SUNSET final rule). The SUNSET final rule’s effective date was delayed until Mar. 22, 2022 after a lawsuit was filed this past spring. The SUNSET Rule would have required HHS and its agencies to review all of their regulations within a certain time period or otherwise the regulations would sunset.

  • Written comments are due Dec. 29, 2021 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal

 

CMS Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth Supplemental Toolkit. CMS has released an updated Medicaid and CHIP telehealth toolkit that includes a supplement to the toolkit that provides states additional guidance on extending telehealth services beyond the Public Health Emergency for COVID-19.


Head Start Programs COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate and Universal Masking. This week the Head Start programs universal masking requirement on all individuals 2 years of age or older and COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all staff went into effect. Staff and contractors must receive their second dose in a two-dose series or first in a single-dose by Jan. 31, 2022. Certain exemptions apply to the universal masking and vaccine mandate requirements. 


HRSA National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.  HRSA has announced the opening of the 2022 application cycle for their Loan Repayment Program.  The American Rescue Plan Act included an additional $800 million for the National Health Service Corps which includes a $15 million set aside for clinicians serving Indian Health Service, Tribally-Operated 638 health programs, and urban health programs.  The application deadline is Feb. 3, 2022 at 7:30 pm ET.   


Office of Minority Health Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity (CIIHE). Through legislation enacted in 2020, OMH was directed to develop the CIIHE to focus on health research, policy, and innovation to address health disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. OMH is seeking nominations for a delegate and an alternate from each IHS area to serve on the CIIHE Tribal Advisory Committee. Nominations are due Jan 7, 2022.

 

Office of Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announces intent to establish a Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (TIAC). This notice announces HUD's intention to form the Department's first standing Tribal advisory committee and provides a pathway for American Indian and Alaska Native housing priorities to be established alongside peer learning and capacity building among Tribes and non-Tribal entities and federal agencies.

  • Comments on the proposed structure of the TIAC are due on or before: Jan 14, 2022 via electronic submission through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov; refer to agency/docket number: FR-6289-N-01.

For more information Laura Platero, Executive Director

Lisa L. Griggs, Executive and Program Ops Assistant | Candice Jimenez, Health Policy Specialist | Liz Coronado, Health Policy Specialist

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board npaihb.org
Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board | 2121 SW Broadway Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201
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