Recommendations for Workgroup members to take back to Tribal Leaders

 At the latest "Kewa" Workgroup we came up with the following action Items we need to be considering with Tribal Leaders:

 

1.       Advocate that the “quasi-“ state-federal nature of the HIX relationship in New Mexico’s first year allow us to qualify to apply for Navigator program establishment funds.  As it stands, we are not one of the states who can apply because we are supposedly a “state-based” exchange only.

2.       Request a response from CCIIO regarding the Native American Workgroup’s (Roxanne Bly and Joyce Nasyowma) letter asking to release the $1.3 million set aside for the development of a Native American Service Center, which has been sitting at the Office of Health Care Reform.  Earmark some of the newly released $8 million implementation grant funds the state has already received so that Tribes can accomplish outreach and education for the Health Insurance Exchange, especially since it seems the state plans to do little to nothing to accomplish this themselves. 

3.       Suggest the newly appointed HIX Board members immediately focus on the May 15^th deadline to request funding from HHS through CCIIO for in-person assisters.  It is estimated that NM will need more that 600 navigators/in-person assisters, in the first 6 months of the Exchange.

4.       Request that the Superintendent of Insurance provide some clarifications on the HIX Executive Board composition and its conflict of interest requirements via draft legislation

5.       Recommend the re-appointment of a Pueblo member to the Medicaid Advisory Committee as soon as possible. Contact Medical Assistance Division, Director Julie Weinberg, with nominations from a Governor or Governors association. 

6.       Question the state on what New Mexico has to show for the money spent on the Leavitt Partners contract to date.

7.       Respond to Admiral Grinnell on the decision to use all IHS funding to appoint Audrey Solimon for what appears to be broad, non-specific training for any and all service units, ask if additional funds will be available for Navigators/in-person Assisters.

If you have any questions regarding these topics or need some one to come to your site to help inform Leadership you can contact Erik Lujan at elujan78@gmail.com or (505) 280-2811.