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Blind Date
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— pg. 9
march 1, 2024
Tribe changing health
benefits administrator
Photo by Tim Trainor/Redmond Spokesman
On Wednesday, Feb. 21, an announcement was
made that the Tribe is transitioning away from
Redmond-based Shasta Administrative Services
as the third-party administrator for its employee
and Tribal member health plans. The Tribe will
instead utilize the services of Wisconsin-based
Forest County Potawatomi Insurance Department
for its third-party administrator.
Tribal member Cheyanne Heidt holds her four-month-old daughter, Lexi Heidt, as she follows
along while “Coyote ties up Skunk” is read aloud during the Chinuk Wawa Education Program’s
ikanum pulakʰli (Winter Stories Night) at achaf-hammi (Tribal plankhouse) on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Winter stories
Tribal Language
Preservation Specialist
Zoey Holsclaw reads
“Coyote ties up Skunk”
during the Chinuk
Wawa Education
Program’s ikanum
pulakʰli at achaf-
hammi.
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Photos by Michelle Alaimo
By Danielle Harrison
Smoke Signals editor
T
he Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is
transitioning away from Redmond-based
Shasta Administrative Services as the
third-party administrator for its employee and
Tribal member health plans.
Tribal Human Resources Director Sarah Har-
vey sent out an all-employee email on Wednes-
day, Feb. 21, regarding the change.
“Over the last year or so there have been issues
with Shasta’s ability to timely process claims
resulting in customer complaints and loss of
revenue,” Harvey said. “In 2023, we heard from
several members and employees that their med-
ical claims were not being processed. This was
the result of a problematic software conversion
Shasta made which caused them to fall behind.
As a result, some of our employees and members
report they have lost their doctors or (were) sent
to collections. In the end, we feel this decision is
one that is in everyone’s best interest.”
The Tribe will instead utilize the services of
Wisconsin-based Forest County Potawatomi
Insurance Department as its third-party admin-
istrator. Harvey said that transition is expected
to be complete by mid-summer.
See SHASTA
continued on page 7
Agency Creek Round Dance set for March 8-9
By Danielle Harrison
Smoke Signals editor
T
he 19th annual Agency Creek
Round Dance will be held
Friday and Saturday, March
8-9, in the Tribal gym.
Friday’s events will start with a
pipe ceremony at 5 p.m. and a tra-
ditional dinner served at 6. Round
dancing will begin at 7. On Satur-
day, the schedule is the same except
there will be no pipe ceremony.
Head staff for this year’s Round
Dance will be Tribal member and
Cultural Resource’s Cultural Ad-
visor Bobby Mercier as pipeman,
Garnett Whitecalf and Anthony
Ironchild as stickmen and Devon
Bellrose as master of ceremonies.
Eighteen guest singers have been
invited.
The event is hosted by the Con-
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde
and its Youth Empowerment &
Prevention Program.
See ROUND DANCE
continued on page 8
Smoke Signals file photo
Attendees dance in a circle around drummers during the 18th annual Agency
Creek Round Dance held in the Tribal gym last March. This year’s Round
Dance is Friday and Saturday, March 8-9.