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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2000)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS CHS Restricts Pharmacy to Generic Drug Dispensing and Mail-In Distribution Pharmacy costs reached a high of $382,752 in 1999. The current level of spending estimates that CHS will pay $474,133 for the year 2000. Pharmacy costs will continue to increase because of the rising cost of medications. In an attempt to remain within our budget, CHS must adjust the pharmacy benefits effective Oct. 1,2000. The Siletz Tribe contracted with the tribally owned business Pequot Pharmaceutical Network in 1996 to provide pharmacy benefits to tribal members nationwide. Tribal members living outside the 11 -county service area have a $400 annual pharmacy benefit. Distribution of drugs from the Pequot pharmacy in Mashantucket, Conn., allows them to dispense to other tribes or tribal members at the federal supply schedule price. This reduces the cost to CHS by 40 percent. Restricting pharmacy to mail-out distribution will reduce costs to the tribe. We currently allow dispensing from the retail market - Fred Meyer, Rite Aid - and other providers in the pharmacy business. CHS will allow you to continue doing so in cases of emergencies or acute conditions. But you should ask your doctor to write two prescriptions, one for now and the other for mail-in because using the mail-in for continued use will stretch your benefit amount. If you have private insurance that requires a co-payment, you can pay it and mail your receipt to CHS for reimbursement. Continuing to use the Chemawa, Grand Ronde, or Siletz pharmacies reduces costs to CHS and you should use these clinics when possible. If you feel more comfortable picking up your prescriptions at the Siletz Clinic and would like to use them for your pharmacy needs, please call 72 hours in advance before pick up, 1-800-648-0449 or 541.444.1030. This will allow time to fill your prescriptions. You can receive the mail-in envelopes and information by calling Pequot directly at 1 -888-779-6638. You also may contact the CHS Department or your nearest community health advocate in the area 12 ICW Lunch Videos for September In the lunchroom of the Siletz Tribal administration building, videos are being offered to Siletz employees and interested community members. A short questionnaire should be filled out after the video. This will help us develop our new parenting group that begins this month. Sept. 14 Someplace You Don’t Want To Be 12:00-12:30 A view of the community, both young and old, relating to the culture to remain a healthy community Sept. 21 Poundmaker’s Lodge Finding yourself in your culture 12:00-12:30 Sept. 28 Sobriety/Talking Circle Using tradition to keep the community strong, away from using drugs and alcohol 12:00-1:00 Oct. 5 Kectu, Words to Live By AIDS is on the rise in Indian Country; words of a young woman affected by AIDS 12:00-12:30 Parenting Program The Indian Child Welfare Program has developed a program to meet the needs of parents in the Siletz community. We have been planning with the Siletz Valley Partnership, Siletz School, Parent Partnerships, community members, and Siletz employees and tribal members to develop a weekly evening program. Every Thursday evening at the Siletz Grange from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., all interested people in the Siletz community are invited to participate in a presentation and work toward building a community honoring the children for generations. The event will be a potluck. We are trying to get donations for door prizes for individuals who attend the weekly groups. Bring some food and your parenting knowledge and come share with each other. If you have questions, want to donate door prizes, or have specific knowledge you feel will benefit the community and want to present, call Gloria Brooks at 541-444-8338. Sept. 14 Nutrition For adults only. Janice Gregg of Oregon State University will make a presentation. Sept. 21 Video - Native American Myths and Realities Talking Circle format to share your view of the concepts in the video. Sept. 28 Monitoring TV, Video, and Computers Evelyn Brookhauser will help you find other activities. This presentation is interactive and intergenerational for adults and children. Oct. 5 Video - Protecting Our Children, It’s Up To Us Talking Circle for discussion offices for envelopes or with any other questions you may have. Your new Pequot cards will be adjusted for acute and emergency use and will mandate dispensing of generic drugs; a dollar limit will be set. A review and adjustment of the limit will be done on a yearly basis, so please use your pharmacy benefit wisely. If you spend your limit before the yearly review is complete, you may have no recourse but to use mail-in from Pequot or go to an IHS or tribal pharmacy. New pharmacy cards should be mailed by Sept 8,2000.
