Health Resource Fairs offer Medicaid eligibility review
Staffers at Medicaid sign up booth review eligibility for participants.
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — In an effort to help membership avoid a loss or gap in their Medicaid/CHIP/SNAPP coverage Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Health Human Services hosted three Health Resource Fairs, with their final event on Thursday, August 24.
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes has the highest Medicaid utilization of the five tribes in Idaho. As of November 2022, 54 percent of Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Members are currently enrolled in Idaho Medicaid. The PHE “unwinding” posed major financial implications for Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, as well as limiting access to healthcare services for Shoshone-Bannock Idaho Medicaid enrollees.
The Health Resource Fairs provided opportunity for people to review their Idaho Medicaid eligibility as the redetermination deadline is August 31, 2023 for American Indian/Alaska Native’s living in Idaho. This extension was a result of a December 2022 consultation between the Fort Hall Business Council, Tribal Health & Human Services and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Program Evaluation Manager for the Department of Health and Welfare, Lisa Jaramillo, explained they had seven people on site to help make sure if someone needed to do their evaluation they could get it done quickly and it won’t close by the end of the month.
“It’s to give the community members a little bit extra access so they don’t have to go to the Blackfoot filed office or they don’t have to go to our Pocatello field office, they can just come see us,” she said, adding they set up a special phone line to streamline the process.
Purchased & Referred Car booth distributed cards.
According to THHS Finance Officer, Taitum DeGarmo, they had a total of 1,013 participants attend the three day event. 132 members either updated, were re-evaluated, or signed up for Medicaid.
DeGarmo said there were several more services they wanted people to learn about and thought it would be a great idea to include them in the process. There were 28 resource booths present to promote their services, including WIC, Early Intervention, Commodities, After School Program, a program giving out phones for those hard of hearing, and IHS distributed PRC cards.
Participants were served boxed lunches, had the chance to win door prizes and received a gas voucher.
DeGarmo said in one of their goals was getting the community an opportunity to see who their providers are and meet them face to face. The event took over a year to plan and coordinate and they are pleased with the response.
Additionally, regarding Medicaid coverage, DeGarmo advises people read all letters sent by Medicaid. Make sure to update your address with them if you move and your phone number. Make sure you’re getting all of your benefits, like SNAP.
Questions about Medicaid, of to find out if you are eligible or need to set up an appointment to sign up contact Wanda Dixey at 208-238-5430 or email her at wanda.dixey@ihs.gov.
