NCUIH’s COVID-19 Response

Partner Calls 

  • NIHB 
  • NCAI 
  • Native org calls 
  • 3/17: NIHB Coronavirus (COVID-19) Virtual Listening Session
  • 3/26: Tribal Leader Town Hall: COVID-19 Phase 3 Legislation
  • 3/31: NIHB Listening Session With CDC
  • 4/6: NIHB CMS Tribal Consultation
  • 4/16: NIHB Monthly Tribal Dental Therapy Call 
  • 4/28: NAFOA Capital and Credit Call

White House Calls 
  • 3/18: White House Updates for States, Localities, Tribes (included VP, Seema Verma)
  • 3/18: White House Updates for Indian Country
  • 3/19: White House Updates for EDs of Associations representing States, Localities, Tribal Representative Orgs 
  • 3/26: Weekly White House/IHS Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update Call
  • 4/2:  Weekly White House/IHS Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update Call
  • 4/9: State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Update on implementation of CARES Act
  • 4/9: Weekly White House Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update Call
  • 4/14: State, Local, Tribal National Briefing Call on COVID-19
  • 4/16: Weekly White House Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update Call
  • 4/22: National COVID-19 Briefing Call with State, Local, and Tribal Officials
  • 4/23: Indian Country COVID-19 Response Team
  • 4/28: Native American Calling 
  • 4/30: State, Local, Tribal National Briefing Call on COVID-19
  • 4/30: Indian Country COVID-19 Response Team
  • 5/7: Indian Country COVID-19 Response Team
  • 5/14: Weekly White House Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update Call
  • 5/21: Weekly White House Indian Country COVID-19 Response Update Call
  • Same calls last week

IHS Calls 
  • 3/5: IHS Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update to Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders
  • 3/12: IHS Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update to Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders
  • 3/12: IHS/HHS All Tribes and UIOs call — have been on weekly
  • 3/18: Urban Indian Organization (UIO) Residential Treatment Centers
  • 3/20: IHS Tribal Consultation – COVID-19 Funding
  • 3/26: Federal Update on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders
  • 4/1: IHS Tribal Consultation – CARES Act COVID-19 
  • Funding
  • 4/1: Urban Confer on CARES Act COVID-19 Funding
  • 4/7: Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • 4/14: Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • 4/21:  Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • 4/28: Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update
  • 4/29: Joint Indian Health Service and Health Resources & Services Administration Tribal Consultation – Targeted Allocations of CARES Act Provider Relief Funds
  • 4/29: Indian Health Service Urban Confer – Targeted Allocations of CARES Act Provider Relief Funds
  • 5/5:  Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • 5/12: Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • 5/19: Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • 5/26: Weekly Urban Indian Organization Leader Call – COVID-19 Update 
  • HHS calls

NCUIH Calls 
  • 2/27: Membership call to get feedback on COVID-19 needs
  • 3/19: OUIHP COVID-19 Update Call
  • 3/25: Urban Confer on IHS Funding for COVID-19
  • 3/25: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2019 Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Response: Updates and Recommendations for Urban Indian Organizations
  • 4/3: Community of Learning for UIOs: COVID-19 Response Series
  • 4/10: Community of Learning for UIOs: COVID-19 Response Series
  • 4/17: Community of Learning for UIOs: COVID-19 Response Series
  • 5/1: Community of Learning for UIOs: COVID-19 Response Series
  • 5/15: Community of Learning for UIOs: COVID-19 Response Series
  • 5/19: UIO Outpatient and Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Programs: Easing Administrative Burden of COVID-19 Funding
  • 5/20: UIO Calls By Facility Type: Easing Administrative Burden of COVID-19 Funding; Limited Ambulatory Programs
  • 5/20: UIO Calls By Facility Type: Easing Administrative Burden of COVID-19 Funding; Full Ambulatory Programs

Other
  • 3/25: MMPC Monthly Call
  • 3/31: National Stakeholder Call: COVID-1 with CMS
  • 4/8: FORHP Special Announcement – CDC Update for Rural Partners
  • 4/8: HHS Budget Consultation
  • 4/8: MMPC COVID-19 Workgroup
  • 4/14: Dept. Treas & SBA Tribal Consultations on Paycheck Protection Program
  • 4/14: Dept. Treas & SBA Tribal Consultations on Employee Retention Credit
  • 4/15; State, Local, and Tribal Leaders National Briefing Call 
  • 4/15: Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee Monthly Call
  • 4/16: CMS ITU Webinar;  Meet your Native American Contact
  • 4/17: CMS Lessons from the front line COVID-1 
  • 4/17: ACMT/ASAM Addiction Medicine Webinar 
  • 4/17: COVID-19 Webinar – COVID-19: State Opportunities and the Next Federal Response Package – Health Action Network 
  • 4/17: House Natural Resources Committee Virtual Roundtable 
  • 4/17: HRSA 2nd Tribal consultation teleconference $15 million set-aside for tribal entities 
  • 4/20: MMPC COVID-19 Call
  • 4/23: TTAG ACA Policy Subcommittee
  • 4/28: Congressional Town Hall on COVID-19 Legislative Efforts for Indian Country
  • 4/29: MMPC Regulations Workgroup
  • 5/6: MMPC Monthly Call

Website

 https://www.ncuih.org/coronavirus

Email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

Date 

Response 

Additional Info 
February 27 NCUIH Membership call – focus on COVID-19 Information gathered was used to inform letter to congress 
February 28  Letter to Congress https://mcusercontent.com/97bf83f5514a3035e7978c5b2/files/aea9f1af-da93-45e1-bbe9-e5458f02ca65/Letter_to_Chair_McCollum_Coronavirus.pdf  On Friday, February 28, the National Council of Urban Indian Health sent a letter to Appropriations Chair Betty McCollum urging Congress to include UIOs in Coronavirus response efforts. NCUIH also issued a press release calling for Congress to support urban Indians in emergency supplemental funding. 
February 28 One-Pager of UIO needs to Congress  https://mcusercontent.com/97bf83f5514a3035e7978c5b2/files/6fe24d3a-80a8-4a5a-b38a-75b4ec594e0e/UIO_Needs_for_Coronavirus_Response.pdf
February 28 Letter Letter from NCUIH to Rep. McCollum requesting $94 million in COVID-19 Funding
March 2 Press Release  NCUIH Urges Congress to Include Urban Indians in any Efforts to Address Coronavirus 

Congress announced they have reached an $8.3 billion agreement for emergency supplemental appropriations to combat Coronavirus. The bill includes CDC funds totaling $2.2 billion which includes funding for cooperative agreements for “tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers to tribes, to carry out surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity, infection control mitigation, communications, and other preparedness and response activities.” The bill also included $40 million for tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, or health service providers to tribes through the CDC.
March 4  Press Release  Congress Announces $8.3 Billion for Coronavirus with Funding for Urban Indian Organizations
March 6 Email to UIOs requesting needs 
  1. Statement of Need Funding: Think about needs for your facility – what type of $ number would sufficiently address your likely needs?
  2. Having an understanding of your needs will help with the estimate and potential distribution formulas
  3. Your Costs Addressing  COVID-19 since January 20, 2020
  4. Helpful for estimate and for reimbursement documentation
  5. Your Suggested Mechanism to Receive the Federal Funding
March 10  Letter to Secretary Azar 

https://mcusercontent.com/97bf83f5514a3035e7978c5b2/files/41790e79-0de4-4d23-9924-17563265556f/NCUIH_Letter_to_HHS_in_re_Dissemination_of_COVID_19_Funds_2020_0310.pdf 

 Re: Allocation of Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act Funds to Urban Indian Organizations

  • HHS Must Ensure $120 Million Is Distributed to Indian Health Care Providers
  • Funds Must Support Clinical Care and Supplies Including PPE
  • Suggested Mechanism to Distribute the Federal Funding
March 12 NCUIH announces annual conference cancelled due to COVID-19 

https://www.ncuih.org/videos?article_id=375
  • Conference cancelled 
  • Virtual annual meeting announced 
    • NCUIH updates 
    • DBH listening session 
    • CDC 2019 Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Response: Updates and Recommendations for Urban Indian Organizations Presented by Dr. Jay Butler (Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases) 
    • NCUIH Member elections 
  • Virtual Youth Gathering still taking place March 26 
March 14 Letter from Native orgs to Appropriations 

https://mcusercontent.com/97bf83f5514a3035e7978c5b2/files/2600f145-3df5-4e14-ae7f-32ae401634df/FINAL_Indian_Country_Priorities_for_COVID_19_Supplemental.pdf

 Healthcare and Public Health Support 

1. Funding for IHS Facilities Account

2. Funding for IHS Services Account

3. Funding for Community Health Representatives (CHRs)

4. Funding for Health Information Technology (Health IT)
5. Funding for Purchased/Referred Care (PRC)

6. Temporarily Relieve all Contract Health Service Delivery Area Limitations

7. Funding for the Urban Indian line item

Public Safety and Community Support

Credit Relief 

Funding for Housing Support

Nutrition Assistance and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
March 17 Letter to Pelosi and McCarthy re: Indian Country priorities  

https://mcusercontent.com/97bf83f5514a3035e7978c5b2/files/09c09646-3680-4a15-8215-3b1173e29cb7/2020.03.17_Indian_Country_COVID_19_Priorities_and_Legislative.pdf

 HEALTHCARE 

  1. Provide $200 million in funding for IHS Facilities Account
  2. Provide $1.1 billion in funding for IHS Services Account
  3. Provide $964 million in funding for Purchased/Referred Care (PRC)
  4. Authorize Medicaid Reimbursements for Qualified Indian Health Provider Services and urban Indian programs
  5. Ensure Reimbursements for services furnished by Indian Health Care Providers outside of an IHS or Tribal Facility

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

  1. Create the Coronavirus Tribal Relief Fund and provide $20 billion in relief funds
  2. Provide $2 billion and additional flexibility for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Loan Guarantee Program
  3. Provide Tribes the same access to tax-exempt bond financing as state and local governments to enable needed access to capital markets
  4. Increase authorization for the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program and waive regulatory fees associated with tribal projects

TRIBAL GOVERNANCE 

  1. Provide $950 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Priority Allocations funding
  2. Provide an additional $100 million for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and waive restrictions
  3. Provide an additional $200 million for Indian Community Development Block Grant Funding
  4. Provide $20 million in funding for BIA’s Welfare Assistance Fund
March 17 Letter to Native American Caucus 

https://mcusercontent.com/97bf83f5514a3035e7978c5b2/files/64e90e33-4062-4df5-bb9d-9a165dbaffa4/2020.03.17_NCUIH_COVID_19_Letter_to_Congress.pdf
  • Urban Indian Health Care Emergency Funding
  • Parity in Federal Medicaid FMAP
  • Parity in Medical Malpractice Liability to Stretch Limited Federal Dollars 
March 17  Press Release 

https://www.ncuih.org/news?article_id=374

 UIOs still have not received funding from COVID-19 emergency bill 
March 17  NCUIH Coronavirus Website released 

https://www.ncuih.org/Coronavirus
  • Letters to Congress
  • Press Releases 
  • COVID-19 Legislation 
  • News 
March 19  Press Release

 https://www.ncuih.org/coronavirus

 Congressional Native American Caucus Supports Policy Priorities Identified by NCUIH and Other National Native Organizations for Third Funding Bill
March 18 Press Release PRESS RELEASE: Congressional Native American Caucus Supports Policy Priorities Identified by NCUIH and Other National Native Organizations for Third Funding Bill
March 19 OUIHP COVID-19 Update Call Call notes: OUIHP call 03.19.2020.docx
March 20 Letter
March 20 Press Release HHS Announces Action by CDC to disburse $80 Million for Indian Country including Urban Indian Health
March 21 Letter Letter from NCUIH, NCAI, NIHB, et al to House Leadership on COVID-19 Stimulus Package 
March 27 Letter Letter from NCUIH to IHS on COVID-19 and UIO funding
April 1 Letter Template Letter for UIOs to Send to IHS Regarding CARES Act * prob should get approval from Francys on this before posting
April 15 Letter Letter from NCAI, NCUIH, et al to House Leadership re: COVID-19 4th Package 
April 15 Letter Letter from NCAI, NCUIH, et al to Senate Leadership re: COVID-19 4th Package 
April 17 Fact Sheet Fact Sheet: Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Third-Party Reimbursements for the Indian Health System
April 17 Letter Letter to HRSA from NCUIH re: CARES Act
April 17 Advocacy NCUIH Requests to Congress for COVID-4