Thursday, April 18, 2024
4/18/2024
The Chickasaw Nation Patient Benefits (PB) outreach project will support innovative outreach strategies aimed at increasing the enrollment and retention of eligible American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) children in Medicaid. The project will emphasize activities tailored to communities where AI/AN children and families reside. The PB outreach team will also enlist tribal and other community leaders, tribal healthcare outreach programs and social services programs that serve eligible AI/AN children and families, tribal Women, Infants and Children (WIC), food distribution, area public schools and Head Start facilities. The focus of this work will be centered around outreach strategies designed to help families complete Medicaid applications and understand both the available coverage and the importance of applying. When families are signed up for Medicaid, they are covered should they need medical service outside of tribal healthcare facilities. The overall quality of care received at Chickasaw Nation Division of Health (CNDH) facilities will increase as a result of patients being enrolled in Medicaid. Since AI/AN families are sometimes reluctant to enroll in Medicaid because they receive healthcare from tribal hospitals and clinics, engagement with the tribal community is essential. If selected, the Chickasaw Nation will add two full-time employees to the PB team. The new employees will focus solely on outreach opportunities through the Connecting Kids to Coverage Healthy Kids AI/AN 2020 Outreach and Enrollment Cooperative Agreement (CKC). The PB outreach team will travel to tribal and community events focused on AI/AN children and families and set up booths to educate and enroll families in Medicaid. The PB outreach team will use games to invite children and families to interact at the outreach booth and will provide education, application assistance and giveaways in a family-oriented atmosphere. Additionally, informational messages will be advertised on local radio stations, billboards and through pamphlets in appointment letters and pharmacy sacks from CNDH facilities. By increasing community interactions, the PB outreach team plans to submit new applications for 1,800 children and 525 parents, and expect verified enrollments from those applications to result in 700 newly enrolled children and 160 newly enrolled parents. Additionally, the team plans to renew 900 children and 195 parents in Medicaid. To meet these goals, the Chickasaw Nation is requesting a total of $750,000, to pay for salaries and fringe benefits, a General Services Administration (GSA) vehicle, travel and training expenses, outreach materials, flow-through items, advertising and office supplies.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
