Great Plains Health Insurance Exchange Navigator (GP HIEN) Program - The Great Plains Tribal Leader’s Health Board (GPTLHB) is a tribal organization that intends to continue and expand upon the CMS Health Insurance Navigator activities of its Great Plains Health Insurance Exchange Navigator (GP HIEN) Program conducted during the 2021-2024 award period. In the new funding cycle, the GP HIEN Program will provide services to the priority population of American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) residing in 44 counties of the FFE state of South Dakota: Beadle, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Butte, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clay, Codington, Corson, Custer, Day, Dewey, Douglas, Fall River, Grant, Gregory, Hakkon, Hand, Hughes, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jackson, Lawrence, Lyman, Marshall, Mead, Mellette, Minnehaha, Moody, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Stanley, Sully, Todd, Tripp, Walworth, Yankton, and Zieback counties, which encompass nine American Indian Tribal Reservation communities and three urban areas. These federally recognized tribal communities include Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Flandreau, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Yankton Sioux. 89.5% of the total AI/AN population of South Dakota resides in our priority population area. Service county and tribal community locations are primarily rural, underserved, and vulnerable to significant health disparities among AI/AN residents due to social, environmental, and economic factors impacting health. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, over 50% of AI/AN adults in the state have incomes below the Federal Poverty Level. Between 25% and 50% of adults on the targeted reservations are unemployed. While South Dakota’s total uninsured rate is 9.5%, the uninsured rate among the priority population averages 31.1%. Although the Indian Health Service (IHS) provides services to AI/AN residing on reservations, IHS is funded at less than 50% of the level of need. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), private health insurance, and Medicaid/Chip programs offer financial access to health services critical to reducing health disparities and ensuring adequate access to health services within the state. As a current awardee, the GP HIEN Program recognizes the impact of these health disparities and chooses to focus on this priority population to continue reducing barriers to affordable care. The GPTLHB HIEN Program is requesting $677,781 for Year 1; $695,618 in Year 2; $723,896 for Year 3; $753,587 for Year 4; and $784,764 for Year 5 of the cooperative agreement. The program will achieve two significant goals: 1) Increase knowledge and awareness of the HIEN Program and resources for selecting and enrolling in Qualified Insurance Plans (QHP); and 2) Assist uninsured AI/AN in navigating the Health Insurance Exchange Marketplace, selecting QHPs, applying and enrolling in QHPs, and obtaining subsidies for which they may be eligible. Funding will be used to perform critical Health Insurance Navigator functions: facilitating CMS training and certification for Navigators; conducting public education and outreach through tailored events; providing targeted 1:1 assistance to consumers; developing and disseminating culturally appropriate information; assisting consumers with post-enrollment and QHP selection; and utilizing community partnerships to refer consumers to the appropriate resources.
