The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have announced $10 million in grants to 41 health programs operated by the Indian Health Service, tribes and tribal organizations and urban Indian organizations.
The funding will help improve outreach and enrollment of uninsured American Indian and Alaska Native children who are eligible for their state’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs.
“There are thousands of uninsured American Indian and Alaska Native children across the country who are eligible for health coverage under Medicaid or CHIP, but not enrolled,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “The grants we are awarding throughout the country will help the health organizations that work closely with these children and their families develop effective outreach and enrollment strategies.”
The grants are part of a broader effort through the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, which set aside $100 million between 2009 and 2013 to help enroll children.
CMS was tasked with funding programs that best target geographic areas with high rates of eligible but uninsured AI/AN children, many of whom live in some of the most remote and economically depressed areas of the country.
To be eligible for these grants, AI/AN health providers were required to demonstrate credibility with their local tribal and urban Indian communities in conducting outreach and enrollment activities. The grantees will report to CMS the outreach activities found to be most effective to enroll and retain AI/AN children in Medicaid and CHIP.
“We are glad to know that these grantees will be working in new ways to specifically reach out to American Indian and Alaska Native children and families,” said Cindy Mann, director of the CMS Center for Medicaid and State Operations. “We look forward to working with our new grantees and learning how culturally appropriate outreach activities result in effective enrollment and retention of children and families in Medicaid and CHIP.”
Sebelius announced in November 2009 the availability of the $10 million in grants. The application deadline to submit proposals was Jan. 15, 2010.
The list of grantees and award amounts can be found here.