Important information on the Affordable Care Act for Tribal communities
The National Congress of American
Indians has been working with other
national partners through the National
Indian Health Outreach and Education
Initiative to help American Indians and
Alaska Natives better understand the new
opportunities, choices and responsibilities
under health reform.
Visit healthcare.gov: Make sure
your family, friends and Tribal commu-
nity are informed about the Affordable
Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace,
which opened Oct. 1.
In 2010, Congress passed the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act
(ACA), which provides Tribal citizens
with more health coverage choices, fulfills
the trust responsibility and guarantees
the Indian Health Service (IHS) is here
to stay.
The law fulfills the trust responsibility
by expanding health coverage of American
Indians and Alaska Natives through greater
access to Medicaid coverage and private
insurance. If American Indians and Alaska
Natives meet income requirements, they
can get assistance to reduce their monthly
premium and out-of-pocket costs.
Under the new law, American Indian
and Alaska Native consumers can choose
coverage that is right for them. Visit
tribalhealthcare.org to find out what you
and your family can expect.
Medicaid expansion: Under ACA,
states can choose to expand Medicaid
eligibility for single individuals with
incomes up to $15,800 or for families of
four with incomes up to $32,500. Ameri-
can Indians and Alaska Natives enrolled
in Medicaid will not have any co-pays or
premiums for services provided at their
local IHS or private clinic. Check out
whether your state is expanding Medicaid.
Private health insurance: As a
member of a federally recognized Tribe,
you can get lower premiums for better
benefits if you enroll in marketplace
insurance. Most American Indian and
Alaska Native families of four earning
between $32,500 and $70,650 will qualify
for cost-saving subsidies that lower their
monthly premiums. Those same indi-
viduals purchasing insurance through
the marketplaces also will avoid out-of-
pocket costs like co-pays and deductibles.
Check out your state’s marketplace to see
if a plan fits you.
More services: Serving a popula-
tion with more health insurance not only
means building a healthier community for
Cancer Insurance Checklist helps those touched by
cancer research options within Affordable Care Act
WASHINGTON – Men’s Health
Network (MHN) and 18 partnering cancer
and patient advocacy organizations have
launched the CancerInsuranceChecklist.
org website, a new resource to help people
with cancer, a history of cancer or a risk
of cancer choose insurance plans in the
new state-based Health Insurance Mar-
ketplaces that opened Oct. 1.
The Cancer Insurance Checklist
helps consumers review coverage within
each insurance plan they are considering,
including coverage for services provided
by their health care team, where care is
delivered, medications and various com-
mon cancer treatments and services they
may need.
The checklist also provides a work-
sheet to help consumers detail the costs
associated with each plan. It is designed to
be used while evaluating insurance plans
and also when discussing them with a
navigator or health care provider.
“Men’s Health Network has been
pleased to partner with all of the organi-
zations involved in developing the Can-
cer Insurance Checklist,” said Brandon
Leonard, director of Strategic Initiatives
at MHN. “We believe the checklist will
be a valuable tool in assisting those
touched by cancer as they consider the
insurance options that best meet their
needs and budgets.”
Oregon
FosterYouth
A Program of:
C O N N E C T I O N
Free College Tuition for Former Foster Youth
New law gives tuition & fee waivers to youth for
Oregon community colleges and public universities.
F
or many youth aging out of Oregon’s foster care system, college is simply not a financial reality. With little
to no family support or savings, foster youth are hard-pressed to cover tuition and fees, let alone the cost of
living expenses and books. Too often the process of piecing together financial aid to meet these needs is full
of roadblocks and delays that prevent foster youth from registering for classes. Tuition waivers for foster youth will
guarantee that these students have access to Oregon community colleges and public universities.
At age 18, many foster youth become solely
responsible for themselves almost overnight with
little or no support. Tuition and fee waivers will
alleviate one major challenge to gaining economic
independence through education. Currently, 25%
of former foster youth enter college, while only
6% complete a 2- or 4-year degree, most citing
financial constraints. In fact, only 2.5% of former
foster youth earn a bachelor’s degree compared to
19% of the general population.
The Oregon Legislature passed this law to address
the unique needs of foster youth. They wanted to
send a message to these young adults—if you have
the grades, the motivation, and the dream to go to
college, YOU CAN.
W HO IS E LIGIBLE FOR A T UITION
AND F EE W AIVER ?
• Youth must have spent at least one year in Oregon
foster care between the ages of 16-21.
• Youth must enroll in an institution of higher
education within three years of leaving foster
care, or earning their high school diploma/GED,
whichever is earliest.
• Youth may only apply the waiver towards the
maximum of 4 years of undergraduate education.
• Youth must begin accessing the waiver by age 25.
• Youth must attend an Oregon community college or
public university.
H OW D O Y OUTH A PPLY ?
• Apply for state and federal financial aid, by
completing the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA). The tuition and fee waiver covers
the portion of tuition and fees leftover after using
PELL Grants, Oregon Opportunity Grants, and other
institutional aid. Chafee Grants, private grants,
loans, and scholarships not designated for tuition
will be retained by the student.
• Recipients are required to complete at least 30
hours of community service each academic year
they receive the tuition waiver.
• The Oregon Department of Human Services will
determine eligibility and send notification letters to
eligible students. Please advise youth to bring their
eligibility letter to the financial aid office as soon as
possible.
For the most current information on the tuition and
fee waiver visit:
www.ORYouthConnection.org/Free-Tuition
* Because implementation guidelines are still being formalized,
please call or email for the most current information.
People with cancer concerns can
download and print the Cancer Insur-
ance Checklist free of charge by visiting
CancerInsuranceChecklist.org. They also
will find a comprehensive list of additional
resources, including a full glossary of terms
relevant to insurance coverage decisions.
The Cancer Insurance Checklist
was created through a partnership of the
following organizations: The Assistance
Fund, Association of Community Can-
cer Centers, Avalere Health, Cancer
Support Community, Chronic Disease
Fund, Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation,
International Myeloma Foundation, The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Living
Beyond Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer Alli-
ance, Melanoma Research Foundation,
Men’s Health Network, National Coalition
for Cancer Survivorship, National Patient
Advocate Foundation, Oncology Nursing
Society, Ovarian Cancer National Alliance,
Patient Advocate Foundation, Patient Ser-
vices Inc. and Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Production costs for the Cancer Insur-
ance Checklist were supported by a grant
from Novartis Oncology.
Men’s Health Network (MHN) is
a national nonprofit organization with
a mission to reach men, boys and their
families where they live, work, play and
pray with health prevention messages and
tools, screening programs, educational
materials, advocacy opportunities and
patient navigation.
Learn more about MHN at
menshealthnetwork.org and follow it on
Twitter @MensHlthNetwork and face-
book.com/menshealthnetwork.
all, it also means that IHS can extend ser-
vices provided locally. More individuals
with insurance means fewer IHS dollars
spent on direct care and increased fund-
ing locally for specialized services like
dialysis, nutrition services and dental
care – essentially making our IHS dollars
stretch further in every community. As pri-
vate insurance and the federal government
pay for more services provided to covered
patients, local clinics and facilities can
reallocate dollars used for primary care to
other services needed in the community.
Personal responsibility: If you are
a member of a federally recognized Tribe
or an active Indian Health Service patient,
you do not have to buy insurance. There
are many benefits to health insurance
coverage, however, and the option might
be less expensive than you think.
For information about Agent
Orange , possible health-related
problems and VA benefits:
•
Toll-free Helpline – 800-749-
8387, press 3
•
publichealth.va.gov/xposures/
agentorange/
CeDARR
Community efforts
Demonstrating the Ability to
Rebuild and Restore
Mission Statement
We will utilize resources to prevent
the use of alcohol and other drugs,
delinquency and violence; we will
seek to reduce the barriers to
treatment and support those
who choose abstinance.
Nov. 13
Noon
Siletz Public Library
255 Se Gaither, Siletz
Siletz Tribal Behavioral Health Programs
Prevention, Outpatient Treatment, and women’s and Men’s Transitional
Siletz: 800-600-5599 or
541-444-8286
Eugene: 541-484-4234
Salem: 503-390-9494
Portland: 503-238-1512
Narcotics Anonymous Toll-Free
Help Line – 877-233-4287
For information on Alcoholics
Anonymous: aa-oregon.org
November 2013
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SiletzNews
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