Smoke Signals 3
APRIL 15, 2012
Membership briieffed afoouft Contract HeaOttlh)
Move, if permitted, would save Tribal dollars being spent to supplement federal health care funding
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Mark Johnston, Tribal Health Services executive director, informed the Tribal
membership about efforts to expand its Contract Health Service Delivery
Area and discussed Skookum Health Plan updates during the General
Council meeting held at the Monarch Hotel & Conference Center in Portland
on Sunday, April 1 .
'1 'v..
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
PORTLAND The Tribal mem
bership was briefed on the Tribe's
continuing efforts to expand its
Contract Health Service Delivery
Area, which has the potential of
saving a significant amount of
Tribal dollars, on Sunday, April
1, at the General Council meeting
held at the Monarch Hotel near
Clackamas Town Center.
Tribal Health Services Execu
tive Director Mark Johnston said
that the Tribe's current Contract
Health Service Delivery Area en
compasses six Oregon counties
Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Til
lamook, Washington and Yamhill
in which about 3,000 Grand
Ronde Tribal members reside.
Contract Health Service is the
federal funding from the Indian
Health Service given to the Tribe
annually to pay for Tribal member
health care. The Tribe receives
$2.75 million annually and Con
tract Health is the payer of last
resort, Johnston said.
Since the federal funding is
woefully inadequate to fully fund
Tribal member health care, the
Grand Ronde Tribe supplements
Contract Health Service funding
through the Skookum Health Plan
to the tune of approximately $20
million a year.
But, Johnston said, a new law
was passed in 2007 that allows
Tribal members covered by Con
tract Health Service to receive
Medicare-like rates, which saves
the Tribe between 60 percent to 70
percent on a bill at hospitals within
the six-county delivery area.
Johnston said that a Tribal mem
ber living in the six-county area
who goes into the hospital for a
10-day stay and operation that
costs $250,000 would eventually
cost Contract Health $25,000 when
all available discounts and reim
bursements were applied. A Tribal
member living outside the Contract
Health delivery area under the
same circumstances would cost the
Tribal health plan $225,000 for the
same procedure.
"So, if we get more Tribal mem
bers CHS eligible by expanding
our delivery area, we would save
a significant amount of money,"
Johnston said.
In 2010, the Grand Ronde Tribe
proposed adding 13 more Oregon
counties and two counties in south
western Washington state to its
designated delivery area. Those 15
counties reflect the Tribe's ceded
lands.
However, other Tribes Coos,
Coquille, Cowlitz, Cow Creek,
Klamath, Siletz and Warm Springs
objected to the Grand Ronde
proposal for expansion because it
might affect their user populations
and, therefore, federal funding.
The Grand Ronde Tribe rescinded
its original expansion request,
Johnston said, and tried to negoti
ate with the other affected Tribes.
Only Cowlitz and Coquille negoti
ated with Grand Ronde, but agree
ments were not reached.
So, Johnston said, the Tribe re
submitted its request to expand its
delivery area on Jan. 12, this time
only listing Oregon counties north
of Lane County. The request was
sent to the Portland District Office
of Indian Health Service, which
will again send it to other Tribes
potentially affected by the expan
sion for comment.
Johnston said the Tribe is expect
ing a decision by July 1.
Johnston said the pros for the
Grand Ronde Tribe include reduc
ing the number of Tribal members
who feel they are not included,
eliminate out-of-pocket expenses
for Tribal members living outside
the current delivery area and in
crease Tribal Contract Health user
counts, which may lead to increased
federal funding.
The only con, he added, might
be the need to add another Tribal
employee to help process Contract
Health claims.
"This is a battle worth fighting
for," Johnston said.
Johnston said he expects the
Portland Area director to support
the Grand Ronde effort, but if that
does not occur the Tribe plans on
taking its request directly to the
Indian Health Service director in
Washington, D.C.
"We believe we'll be successful,"
Johnston said.
Johnson then discussed the Trib
al member health plan - Skookum.
He said the original intent of the
health plan was to supplement cov
erage that Tribal members might
have elsewhere, such as Medicare,
Medicaid or an employer's health
plan. Skookum was never intended
to be the primary payer, he said.
A survey started in October 2010
found that out of 2,760 Tribal
members who responded, 1,648 (60
percent) said they have no other
health insurance coverage. The
survey also found that 1,551 (56
percent) of those respondents were
Medicaid eligible.
Based on those results, Tribal
Council instructed Tribal Health
Services in January to begin de
termining if Tribal members have
access to other health care coverage
in an effort to control and hope
fully reduce Tribal expenditures on
health care.
"We are trying to save your mon
ey," Johnston emphasized since
Tribal dollars used to supplement
health care are not available for
other needs, such as education,
housing, pensions and per capita.
The General Council meeting
was opened with a blessing song
performed by the Portland area
drum group that included Tribal
members Jon George, Greg Ar
chuleta, Jordan Mercier, Delores
Parmenter and Debi, Eric and Erin
Bernando.
Tribal member Jan Michael Look
ing Wolf Reibach also performed a
Choctaw blessing song on flute.
The next General Council meet
ing will be held 10 a.m. Sunday,
May 6, at the Tribal Community
Center. It will be followed by a
1 p.m. Tribal Community Input
meeting in the Tribal gym.
Tribal members Duane Wheeler,
Kiona Campbell and Travis Taylor
won the $50 door prizes and Tribal
spouse Denise Wilson won the $100
door prize. B
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times for
Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Shonn Leno.
Cultural Trust Board meets at 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month
in Modular No. 2. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month
in Modular No. 3. Chair: TBD.
Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Jon George.
Elders' Committee meets at 10 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders' Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance
Building. Acting Chair: Robert Schmid.
Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the
month in the Tribal Wellness Center. Acting Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of
the month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services Conference Room. Chair: Jenny Sanchez.
Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
Veterans Special Event Board meets at 4 p.m. the first and third
Tuesday of the month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dakota
Whitecloud.
GRAND RONDE GAMING
COMMISSION POSITIONS
The Grand Ronde Gaming Commission is seeking applications to fill one
commission vacancy expiring June of 2015. The Tribal Gaming Ordinance
requires this position to be filled by a Tribal member. The Grand Ronde
Gaming Commission regulates all gaming-related activities associated
with Spirit Mountain Casino. Applicants must be at least 21 years of
age. Commissioners may not hold elective or managerial Tribal positions,
and may not be employed in or own any interest in or gamble in a gaming
operation authorized by the Tribal Gaming Ordinance. Commissioners
are independent contractors and expend approximately 30-40 hours per
month to fulfill their responsibilities.
The Gaming Commission generally meets on the second and third
Fridays of each month. Appointment is contingent upon successful
completion of a background investigation. Applications may be obtained
by calling Kathy Doane at 503-879-2393. Closing date is April 30, 2012,
5 p.m. B