NPAIHB Legislative & Policy  Update
Thursday, April 24, 2019 

IMPORTANT DATES
April 30
10:00AM PT: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Broken Promises Report Webinar

11:00AM PT: HRSA Shortage Designation Modernization Project Webinar
Conference Call: 800-857-9742; Password: 6751309

May 1
NIHB MMPC Monthly Meeting
Conference Call: 1-866-866-2244; Password: 6095164

May 2
12:30PM PT: IHS May All Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders Call
Conference Call: 800-857-5577; Passcode: 6703929 
Webinar:  https://ihs.cosocloud.com/r4k6jib09mj/ ; Password: ihs123

2:00PM PT: HHS Region 10 Tribal Affairs Call
Conference Call:1-877-693-8948; Password: 3752434

May 5-7
HHS Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC) Meeting
Scottsdale, AZ

May 13-15
NIHB Tribal Public Health Summit
Albuquerque, NM

May 15-17
NIHB Tribal Behavioral Health Conference
Albuquerque, NM

May 16-17
IHS Purchased Referred Care Workgroup Meeting
Phoenix, AZ
ACTION ALERTS
IHS DTLL- Tribal consultation on short-term and long-term options for meeting ISDEAA 105(l) requirements (Comments Due 4/26)
3/12 Issued
Seeks input on short-term and long-term options to fund 105(l) lease cost agreements. For FY 2019, IHS believes the best option is to reprogram a portion of the inflation increases.

CMS Medicaid and Medicare programs interoperability and patient access proposed rule (Comments Due 5/3)
3/4 Federal Register Notice
Proposes patient access through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) by ensuring access and use of healthcare data to patients. Makes patient claims and other health information available to patients through third-party applications and developers.

IHS Survey- Health IT Modernization Survey (Responses Due 5/10)
3/1 Issued
Requests feedback from tribes on the health IT modernization whether you use the IHS RPMS EHR system or a COTS system. Any clinic staff can fill out survey. Project will be finalized by September.

HHS Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) 21st Century Cures Act interoperability, information blocking, and the ONC health IT certification program (Comments Due 6/3)
3/4 Federal Register Notice
Proposes for the adoption of standardized application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow patients to securely and easily access electronic health information.

VA DTLL- AI/AN veterans healthcare needs in the MISSION Act Strategic Plan (Comments Due 6/10)
5/16 Issued
Requests feedback on important healthcare needs of AI/AN veterans and healthcare system design needs.

IHS DTLL- IHS is accepting applications for FY 2019 Small Ambulatory Program (Applications Due 6/28)
4/23 Issued
I ssues application cycle for FY 2019 Small Ambulatory Program. The FY 2019 budget includes $15 million.

Need for Congressional Members to sign-on to the House and Senate Bipartisan Letters to Support Reauthorization of SDP and SDPI (Legislative Action Alert)
3/4 Letter  Requests tribes to submit letters to Congressional members who have not signed-on to the House and Senate SDP letters to reauthorize the SDPI program before it expires in September.
 POLICY UPDATES
CMS Issues Final Rule for 2020 Annual Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters
4/18 Issued
Released final annual notice of benefit and payment parameters for 2020. The final rule lowers user fees, encourages use of lower cost generic drugs, promotes market stability and consumer choice. 

GAO Report- VA and IHS actions needed to strengthen oversight and coordination of health care for AI/AN veterans
3/30 Issued
Recommends establishment of measurable targets for performance measures at the VA and IHS. Also recommends written guidance at the VA for referring AI/ANv veterans to VA facilities for specialty care. IHS and VA have said that they are revising the MOU and updating their performance measures. 

White House Executive Order on a national roadmap to empower veterans and end suicide
3/5 Issued
Establishes a Task Force to develop a comprehensive public health road map to end the national tragedy of veteran suicide through partnerships across all levels of government, the private sector and non-profit sector. However, tribes are not included but must be. 
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) re-introduced the Tribal Veterans Enhancement Act (S.1001)
4/3 Introduced
Amends IHCIA to allow IHS to cover the copayment cost of an AI/AN veteran receiving medical care at the VA.

Rep. Debra Haaland (D-NM) introduced the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act (H.R. 2031)
4/2 Introduced
Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) to provide further self-governance by Tribes.

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced bill Studying the Missing and Murdered Indian Crisis Act (H.R.2029) 
3/8 Introduced
Directs the Comptroller of the United States to submit a report on the response of law enforcement agencies to reports of missing or murdered Indians. 

WHAT WE'RE READING 
4/23 House Dems to hold hearing on 'Medicare for All' next week

4/16 CRS: Federal surprise billing legislation would preempt State laws

4/15 Native American health care bill heads for Governor's desk

4/12 Warren, other key Dem Presidential hopefuls, push ACA reform bill

4/9 Idaho Gov. Little signs bill to put work requirements on Medicaid expansion
For more information
  Laura Platero, Director of Government Affairs/Health Policy 
Sarah Sullivan, Health Policy Analyst
(503) 228-4185
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