HHS ACA Tribal Consultation Sessions: Denver Agenda

Dear NIHB Board Members and Area Indian Health Boards:

Below is the latest information regarding the HHS ACA Tribal Consultation in Denver.  

Thank you,

Jennifer

The Department of Health and Human Services will host the second Tribal Consultation Sessions on the Affordable Care Act on Wednesday September 7, 2011 in Denver, Co at the Embassy Suites: Downtown Denver. Attached you will find the agenda for this consultation. Below are the three topics which will be consulted on. You do not need to pre-register for any of the sessions. Below is a list of topics that will be covered at the consultation session. We have attached information about the IRS portion of the agenda and have also provided web link for a fact sheet about the exchanges.  

Consultation Topics:

1.      Eligibility Expansions under the Affordable Care Act

This proposed rule would implement sections of the Affordable Care Act related to Medicaid eligibility and expansion to 133% of FPL, enrollment simplification, and coordination.

2.      Affordable Insurance Exchanges NPRM

This proposed rule that clarifies a series of Exchange requirements, including: state involvement, health insurance issuers and employers.

3.      Internal Revenue Service

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act added Section 139D to the Internal Revenue Code. Section 139D provides, in general, that gross income does not include the value of any qualified Indian health care benefit. The IRS is seeking input from tribal leaders on these issues as well as any other tax provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Web link:

http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/exchanges08122011a.html

Please contact the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs should you have any questions, phone number 202-690-6060.

Thank You.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) invites you to participate in an upcoming tribal consultation on the Affordable Insurance Exchanges Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) as well as other provisions in the Affordable Care Act.  HHS is working hard to implement policies that will improve the quality and accessibility of health services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people.  The consultation sessions will provide a general overview of the Affordable Care Act and the specific provision mentioned above, including an educational session on each topic, followed by a consultation for that topic. Consultation sessions will be held in three cities so that you may select the most convenient consultation to attend.  The dates and locations are listed below:

An Agenda for the August 22, 2011 consultation will be provided on Monday August 15, 2011, subsequent agenda’s will be provided in the near future. A letter from Secretary Sebelius will also be emailed as it is being mailed to Tribes across the country this week. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Stacey

Stacey L. Ecoffey, MSW (Oglala Lakota)

Principal Advisor for Tribal Affairs

Immediate Office of the Secretary

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

Department of Health and Human Services

“Our Lives Begin To End the Moment We Become Silent about Things That Matter”

Martin Luther King, Jr.