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Week of September 23, 2024

In this Letter:

📣Announcements 

✒️Congressional Items 

📝 Dear Tribal Leader Letters

📒Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations

🎟️Events  

💵 Notice of Funding Opportunities

Announcements

IHS Hosting Tribal Consultations on CSC Methodology for Program Income

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is seeking recommendations on funding methodologies for the payment of eligible Contract Support Costs (CSC) incurred by Tribes and Tribal Organizations (T/TOs) related to expenditures of program income to further the purposes of the T/TOs respective Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) contracts and compacts. IHS will be hosting three in-person and two virtual Tribal Consultation sessions to allow multiple opportunities to provide feedback on the Agency’s proposals to calculate CSC related to expenditures of program income. Learn more here.

 

NIHB Hosting Virtual Listening Session on Tribal Prenatal to 3 Policy Agenda

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) will be hosting a virtual listening session on the draft Tribal Prenatal to 3 Policy Agenda on September 24 from 2:00 – 3:30pm ET. NIHB developed the draft Tribal Prenatal to 3 Policy Agenda through interviews, roundtables, and open engagement with Tribal leaders, members, and practitioners, and now wishes to hear feedback from Tribal Leaders, Tribal advocates, child welfare and health policy experts, and practitioners to further revise, refine, and priorities policy priorities related to holistically improving the health and wellbeing of Native kids up to age three and their families. We welcome your feedback during the Listening Session or by electronic feedback form through September 30, 2024. Register for the Listening Session here.


IHS Awards Nearly $1.2 Million Addressing Alzheimer's Disease During World Alzheimer's Month

The Indian Health Service (IHS) announced the award of an additional $1.19 million through six cooperative agreements to enhance Tribal and urban Indian health system local capacity to provide dementia care and services. The total commitment for the new three-year awards is nearly $3.6 million. This new round of funding built on early work and lessons learned from awards offered in 2022 and 2023. It also advanced work to fulfill the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease by enhancing care quality and efficiency, expanding support for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their families, and enhancing public awareness and engagement. Learn more here.


OIG Announces New Performance Standards in Medical Fraud Control Units

On September 18, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a document setting forth new OIG guidance regarding standards OIG will apply in assessing the performance of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs). Based on prior experience and consultation with key stakeholders, these standards will replace those previously published in 2012. Learn more here.

Congressional Corner

Congress is in its final week of September session, as it continues to avert a federal government shutdown by October. Following the failure of a six-month continuing resolution, the House came to agreement with the Senate to put forward a three-month continuing resolution which will fund the federal government through December 20th. The House is expected to take up its new bill by mid-week before sending the package over to the Senate. Congress is slated to leave DC on Friday to begin final election campaigning in district, but may stay through the end of the month to ensure final passage of a continuing resolution. The Indian Health Service has advance appropriations for FY 2025 for all but six accounts.


Other legislative priorities NIHB is advocating for this fall include:

  • Mandatory Funding for CSC and 105(l) Leases: NIHB will continue advancing our advocacy efforts regarding moving Tribal Contract Support Costs (CSC) and 105(l) Lease Payments to mandatory appropriations this month. This includes getting Members of Congress to sign onto letters to leadership supporting this change. Visit our advocacy resource page for more information and to see how you can get involved! 
  • SDPI Renewal: The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) expires on December 31, 2024. Click here for additional resources supporting renewal of this critical program.  

Please contact NIHB’s Congressional relations team for more information at wdavis@nihb.org and tbarrett@nihb.org. 

Hearings Schedule: 


Topic: Why Is Novo Nordisk Charging Americans with Diabetes and Obesity Outrageously High Prices for Ozempic and Wegovy?

Committee: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 10:00 AM

Hearing Website Link

 

Topic: Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States’ Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind

Committee: House Committee on Ways & Means

Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 10:15 AM

Hearing Website Link

 

Topic: Everyday Heroes: Supporting the Veteran Caregiver Community

Committee: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 10:15 AM

Hearing Website Link

 

Topic: Legislative Hearing

Committee: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Hearing Website Link


Topic: Ensuring Timely Access: Challenges in VA Scheduling

Committee: House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization

Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 9:00 AM

Hearing Website Link

 

Topic: Examining the Public Health Impacts of PFAS Exposures

Committee: Senate Environment & Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight

Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 10:00 AM

Hearing Website Link

 

Topic: Legislative Hearing

Committee: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions

Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 10:00 AM

Hearing Website Link


Topic: Meddling with Medicare: The Biden-Harris Cover-Up

Committee: House Committee on Oversight

Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 2:00 PM

Hearing Website Link

Dear Tribal Leader Letters


View NIHB’s full Dear Tribal Leader Letter Tracker here 

SSA September 13 Letter: The Director writes to share an opportunity to attend the Social Security Administration (SSA) Virtual Tribal Consultation on October 15 or October 17.


SAMHSA September 12 Letter: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces it has been working to modify its Client-level Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) instrument for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the Client-level National Outcomes Measures (NOMs) instrument for the Center for Mental Health Services. 


IHS September 10 Letter: The Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation to seek and obtain recommendations on funding methodologies for the payment of eligible Contract Support Costs (CSC) incurred by Tribes and Tribal Organizations related to third-party reimbursements.


IHS September 9 Letter: The Director writes to share an update on a change for the Indian Health Service 105(l) Lease Program.


HUD/IHS September 9 Letter: The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) are seeking feedback and recommendations on how HUD and IHS programs can better address the housing-related water and sewer infrastructure needs of Tribal communities.


HHS September 4 DTLL: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Announces Tribal Consultation on Updated Draft Tribal and TEC Data Access Policies. Virtual consultation will take place on October 1, 2024 from 3-5PM EDT. Registration details are in the DTLL. Written comments are requested by October 31, 2024.

 

IHS September 3 Letter: The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce the publication of the final rule in the Federal Register implementing regulations governing the Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund (CHEF). (See more information above)

 

IHS September 3 Letter: The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share important information for our Tribal and Federal workgroup members on the relevant rules pertaining to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and FACA's Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) exemption. The letter includes a summary of the FACA and UMRA requirements.

Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations


View NIHB’s full Regulations Tracker here


Consultations

IHS CSC Tribal Consultations

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Consultation 1: September 25, 2024, 1:00 – 5:00pm ET | Virtual

Consultation 2: September 26, 2024, 9:30am – 12:30pm CT | Dallas, TX  

Consultation 3: October 1, 2024, 9:30am – 12:30pm ET | Washington, DC

Consultation 4: October 3, 2024, 9:30am – 12:30pm PT | Seattle, WA

Consultation 5: October 9, 2024, 1:00 – 5:00pm ET | Virtual

 

HHS Data Policy Consultation

Date: October 1, 2024, 3:00pm ET

Meeting Registration Link

 

SSA Tribal Consultation

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Date: October 15, 2024, 2:00pm ET AND October 17, 2024, 10:00am ET

Contact AIAN.EC@ssa.gov to RSVP with the date you plan to attend

 

Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Health IT Modernization Program: Site Readiness and Training

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Date: November 7, 2024, 1:30 – 3:00 pm ET

Meeting Registration Link

Tribal Advisory Committee Meetings

VA TAC Meeting

Meeting Agenda

Dates: September 24-26, 2024

Location: VA Lafayette Building, Washington DC

 

TTAG Face to Face Meeting (hybrid)

Dates: November 6-7, 2024

Location: National Museum of the American Indian, Washington DC

 

Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC)

Dates: November 19-20, 2024

 

Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee (TLDC) Meeting

Dates: December 3-4, 2024

Location: Tucson, AZ

 

IHS Self-Governance Advisory Committee Meeting

Dates: December 16-17, 2024

Location: Washington DC

Listening Sessions

NIHB/CMS LTSS Listening Session

Date: September 26, 2024

Meeting Registration Link

Events

NIHB Virtual Listening Session on Tribal Prenatal to 3 Policy Agenda

Draft Policy Agenda

Date: September 24, 2024 | 2:00 – 3:30pm ET

Meeting Registration Link

Feedback Due: September 30, 2024 | Electronic Feedback Form

NIHB Tribal Town Hall on HHS Tribal Data Access Policy and HHS Tribal Epidemiology Center Data Access Policy

Date: Friday, September 27, 2024 | 1:00pm ET

Meeting Registration Link

Facilities Appropriation Advisory Board (FAAB) Meeting

Date: October 8-9, 2024

Meeting Registration Link

 

CHEF Regulation Training

Date: October 10, 2024

Meeting Registration Link

Notice of Funding Opportunities

IHS FY 2024 Small Ambulatory Program (SAP) | Click Here to Learn More

Award Amount: Up to $3.5 million

Application Deadline: November 8, 2024

Description: Under the SAP, American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and Tribal Organizations operating an Indian health care facility pursuant to a health care services contract or compact established under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Pub. L. No. 93-638, as amended (25 U.S.C. § 5301 et seq.), may competitively apply for SAP funding to construct, expand, or modernize a small ambulatory health care facility.

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