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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2004)
r- . - 12 AUGUST 1, 2004 Smoke Signals New Healthcare Insurance Plan For Members To Start September 1 TRIBE SELECTS SELF-FUNDING TO ADDRESS RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS Quality of care, choices, the ability to address rising health care costs have been key issues for the Tribe during the past few years. The Tribe has searched to find ways to lower this trend of higher health care costs while continuing to provide quality health care to Tribal members. Self-funding the Tribal member health care utilizing a Third Party administrator (TPA), United Medical Re sources will now provide the path to address these issues and challenges, effec tive September 1,2004. WHAT THIS CHANGE WILL MEAN? Over the last few months, presentations at community meetings and letters have been sent out to members outlining this change and what it will mean in terms of how the plan will be administered along with the potential impacts on those who receive this coverage. Essentially Tribal Members should experience little or no change in benefits , co-pays, services or providers. The only real difference is that members will be receiving new insurance cards very soon, and information about the plan. Tribal administration has worked very closely with the new plan administrator to make sure that this change will be seamless, and cause minimal disruption. If there are problems that occur, processes have been put into place to address individual concerns quickly. BENEFITS OF THIS PLAN Self-funding allows the Tribe to identify what options and choices relative to insurance benefits are best and right for the Tribal Members. This flexibility of the plan will allow the Tribe to analyze trends of services and utilization, so the plan will have tailored benefits to meet the specific health care needs of the Tribe in the most cost effective manner. Members will also enjoy easy access to the new plan administrator by a dedi cated phone line and website, exclusively designed for CTGR. The phoneline customer services professionals will provide information and personal consulta tion to members as needed. The number for this is 1-888-CTGR-BEN (1-888-284-7236). The website will allow members to review their benefits , identify providers, and view additional information related to the plan. The web address is: www.grandronde.orgmiscinsuranceinfo.htm. Members can also always access their benefits through the current UMR website at www.myurm.com. There are also new programs members will have access to. One of these programs is P.R.I.D.E. (Preventing and Reducing illness through Detection and Education. A new benefit provided at no extra cost to you, P.R.I.D.E has been designed to help you and your family make well-informed decisions regarding your healthcare. P.R.I.D.E will provide educational materials, resources and personal, confidential advice regarding individual medical conditions and treat ment options. The objective of P.R.I.D.E is to provide you with a resource that will give you the opportunity to make informed decisions regarding your healthcare by helping you better understand your illness and treatment options. EXPECTED SEPTEMBER 1 START DATE While it has taken somewhat longer than anticipated to implement this plan, Tribal management have taken this time to ensure that legal issues relative to the plan were resolved, and that the agreements with the third party adminis trator reflected the self-insured status of the Tribe as a sovereign nation. This is important, as it will ensure that benefits for members in all locations are equi table and consistent. Expect to receive your new identification cards in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you have questions about the plan, or how it may effect you, please contact Member Benefits at 503-879-2490 or Debby Larsen, Financial Risk Man ager at 503-879-2332. If you have not received your new Insurance ID card by August 27, call Member Benefits immediately. Spirit Mountain Lodge Expansion ess!? rso imsmmm & lKEty &7$ j moss m m. Ti-mfj ww ffl$lwWfr ffi? ARTISTS WITHOUT BARRIERS Who, What: A Non-Profit Organization has been set up to teach children art. We charge $15 a month for art lessons, all supplies included. We take children ages 5 to 16 years old. Lessons include, drawing, pencil, pen & ink, watercolor, acrylic, goush (a water base) and some calligraphy. Where: Grand Ronde Church and Willamina Church When: Mondays at Grand Ronde 1-3 p.m. Mondays at Willamina 4-6 p.m. Teacher is Richard Fenwick. Our goal is to reach as many children as pos sible. If you are interested please call Elverta Hayden Administrator at 503-390-4615. Wumn mfwn 21 . i 1 i .... -..u$tfas SATURDAY AUGUST 21, 2004 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. TRIBAL MEMBERS ONLY SUNDAY AUGUST 22, 20 04 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC LOCATED IN THE MAINTENENCE SHOP NEXT TO THE TRIBAL POW-WOW GROUNDS NO EARLY SALES! Help: Wood Cutters Wanted Accepting applications for woodcutters to provide firewood for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Own equipment and truck required. Please contact Dave Fuller ton at 503-879-2036. US! The "Joey Thin Logging Unit", located in Section 11, W Section 12, W V Section 13, and NE V Section 14, Township 5S, Range 8W, Willamette Meridian, on the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation in Yamhill County, Oregon will be open for public bid. This logging unit contains approximately 185.0 acres to be thinned and 27.8 acres to be clearcut harvested. The timber consists of an estimated volume of 4,524,000 board feet of Douglas-fir and Other Conifers Peeler and Sawmill Grade Logs to be auctioned at a minimum bid rate of $366.83 per thousand board feet net scale. Red Alder and Other Hardwoods - Peeler and Sawmill Grade Logs may be sold at the pre determined rate of $418.33 per thousand board feet net scale; All Conifer Species Wood Logs and Other Wood Products may be sold at the predetermined rate of $50.10 per thousand board feet gross scale or $7.62 per ton, as applicable. The stated volumes for the above timber sale are estimates and are not guaranteed. Bid open ing will take place at the Grand Ronde Natural Resources Office lo cated at 47010 S.W. Hebo Road, Grand Ronde, Oregon, at 2 p.m., local time, on Wednesday, August 11, 2004. Full information con cerning the timber, sample timber sale contract, conditions of the sale, and submission of bids should be obtained from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Natural Resources Division, 47010 SW Hebo Road, P.O. Box 10, Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347, telephone 503-879-5522. Seeking Certified Grand Ronde Tribal Member Teachers The Cultural Education Program is seeking to create a list of certified Tribal member teachers for future projects. If you are a certified teacher, would like to live or teach in the Grand Ronde area and would be willing to do so through the Chinuk Wawa language, we want to hear from you. Please call or write the Tribe's Cultural Education Coordinator Tony A. Johnson for more information call 503-879-2084 or email at tonyjohnsongrandronde.org.
