Tribal Leader Letters
November 18, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to issue the Indian Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Plan. [PDF - 167 KB]November 6, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to provide an update on Indian Health Service COVID-19 vaccination planning efforts. [PDF - 20]- IHS Area Vaccine Point of Contact [PDF - 17 KB]
- CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program Tribal Health Program Agreement – Vaccines Coordinated through IHS [PDF - 254 KB]
November 2, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate the first of a series of Tribal Consultations in conjunction with updates to Indian Health Service contracting policy and procedures associated with implementing the Buy Indian Act of 1910. [PDF - 441 KB]- Enclosure: IHS Framing Paper on The Buy Indian Act [PDF - 235 KB]
October 29, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide clarification on COVID-19 vaccination of non-beneficiaries. [PDF - 303 KB]October 23, 2020
The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide an update on short-term continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2021 that affect Tribal Health Programs with performance periods starting within the current continuing resolution period for October 1, 2020 through December 11, 2020. [PDF - 269 KB]October 14, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce the new solicitation for the fiscal year 2020 Indian Health Service Small Ambulatory Program. The deadline for submitting applications is February 1, 2021. [PDF - 64 KB]October 14, 2020
The Director notifies Tribal Leaders about a comment period, open through October 21, to request input on the Indian Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Draft Plan. [PDF - 168 KB]October 4, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to inform them that the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration recently amended the national IHS-VA VHA Reimbursement Agreement, which effects direct health care services to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans at 74 IHS facilities. [PDF - 178 KB]September 25, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share an "Early Alert" issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General that identifies a vulnerability that compromises the safety and well-being of Indian children who receive treatment at Tribal health programs operated under Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act agreements with the Indian Health Service. [PDF - 184 KB]September 21, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the use of $5 million from the fiscal year 2020 appropriations that the Indian Health Service has allotted to support national Community Health Aide Program expansion. [PDF - 564 KB]September 16, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide updates regarding the Indian Health Service Resource and Patient Management System meeting the 2015 Edition Certification Requirements Published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. [PDF - 1.36 MB]- Enclosure: Applying for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Merit Based Incentive Payment System Program Hardship Exceptions. [PDF - 158 KB]
September 11, 2020
The Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the selection of the new Director for the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs. [PDF - 233 KB]July 2, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the use of approximately $30 million in offset and prior-year funds from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. [PDF - 311 KB]May 22, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to request assistance in identifying priority health professions for inclusion into categories eligible for the IHS Scholarship Program in academic year 2021-2022 and the IHS Loan Repayment Program in fiscal year 2021. Priorities are due to the IHS Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs by June 15, 2020. [PDF - 240 KB]- Enclosure: IHS Scholarship Program Priority Categories for Academic Year 2021- 2022 [PDF - 167 KB]
- Enclosure: IHS Loan Repayment Program Fiscal Year 2021 Priority Categories [PDF - 119 KB]
May 20, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide several updates about the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. [PDF - 305 KB]