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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2017)
S moke S ignals MARCH 15, 2017 Applications Assister sets Portland dates Certified Applications Assister Loretta Meneley will be at the Portland area office, 4445 S.W. Barbur Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, and Thursday, March 30, as well as Wednesday, April 12, and Tuesday, April 25, to help Tribal members with medical information and applications. For more information, contact Tribal Services Representative Lisa Archuleta at 503-879-1881 or lisa.archuleta@grandronde.org. Skookum seeks help with myriad bad addresses In mid-December, the Skookum Health Assistance Program mailed new cards to all Tribal members on the program. These cards need to replace older Skookum cards. The new card has important infor- mation regarding program changes. Skookum has received a lot of returned mail with the new cards. If you did not receive a new Skookum card in December, please contact Barbara Steere at 503-879-2487 or Tresa Mercier at 503- 879-2008 to update your address. We need to send you your new Skookum Health Assistance Pro- gram card as soon as possible. Thank you! Patient Satisfaction Survey coming soon The Health & Wellness Center will be conducting a patient satisfaction survey. The survey will be available at the health clinic and on the Tribal website through Survey Monkey starting on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. We look forward to hearing from you. 21 Skookum denials If you have received a denial from the Skookum Health Assistance Program for payment of health services and you feel that your ser- vices should not have been denied, please contact one of the Save Our Skookum team members: • Barbara Steere – 503-879-2487 • Melody Baker – 503-879-2011 • Tresa Mercier – 504-879-2008 • Tauni McCammon – 503-879-1406 • Erica Mercier – 503-879-2080 It is important that you call as soon as you receive a denial. The older bills are, the better chance of them being turned into collec- tions. You are always welcome to call with questions. We look forward to hearing from you! Information about Skookum coverage and your taxes You’ll answer a question about your 2016 health coverage when you file your federal income tax return. If you didn’t have a minimum level of health coverage for all of 2016, your taxes could be affected. It’s important to remember the Skookum Health Assistance Program is NOT health insurance. It is a payer of last resort, which means any other coverage pays before Skookum. Requiring members to apply for and use primary coverage before Skookum will ensure the Skookum Health Assistance Program is sustainable and available for years to come. You don’t have to pay the fee if you get an exemption American Indians and Alaska Natives who are eligible to receive ser- vices from an Indian health care provider will be exempt from the “shared responsibility payment.” To receive an exemption, members of federally recognized Tribes may apply through the marketplace or handle this through the tax filing process. Individuals who are not members of federally recognized Tribes, but are eligible to receive services from an Indian health care provider must apply for an exemption through the marketplace. American Indians and Alaska Natives receiving the exemption can be enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP or QHP offered through the health insurance marketplace if deemed eligible. When filing taxes, you will want to use form 8965 Health Coverage Ex- emptions part III. Exemption type (E) check box (d) for full year. This form will be available whether you do your taxes yourself through TurboTax, etc., or if you go to a certified public accountant (tax preparers, H&R Block, etc.) For more information on filing for a tax exemption, call Loretta Meneley 503-879-1359 or e-mail loretta.meneley@grandronde.org. Join our nursing staff in the Clinic’s Atrium Wednesday March 22, 2017 11 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. High Fiber Snacks Prizes Colorectal Cancer Information Ad created by George Valdez