Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Tribal Technical Advisory Group

CMS TTAG Data Analysis Project

Description

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Tribal Affairs Group works closely with American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) communities and leaders to enable access to culturally competent health care available through Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Exchanges or any other health care program funded by CMS. The CMS Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) was established in 2004 to provide advice and input to CMS on policy and program issues affecting delivery of health services to AI/ANs enrolled in these programs. TTAG has developed strategic plans that guide their work. 

The 2013-2018 TTAG American Indian and Alaska Native Strategic Plan included five goals; the fifth goal was to develop and improve CMS data systems to evaluate and expand the capacity of CMS to serve AI/ANs. The Strategic Plan included four objectives aimed at meeting this goal. The CMS TTAG Data Project was designed to address three of the four objectives. The project, as part of the overall CMS TTAG Data Project, specifically addressed Objective 2: develop and test data for reporting the effects on AI/AN and IHS system providers of the implementation of ARRA P.L. 111-5, CHIPRA P.L. 111-3, and ACA P.L. 111-148 on CMS program enrollment, health care delivery, outcomes, and payments across states and IHS areas.

Partners

• California Rural Indian Health Board
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG)

Specific aims

To meet this objective, the CMS TTAG Data Analysis Project included the analysis of CMS data for Medicare beneficiaries and persons enrolled in Medicaid in order to: 

1. Establish baseline indicators for Medicare enrollment and health status, service use, payments, and outcomes for AI/AN Medicare beneficiaries using CMS data;
2. Monitor changes in these indicators in subsequent years using CMS data;
3. Describe the health status, service use, payments, and outcomes for AI/ANs with chronic disease using CMS data; and
4. Assess health disparities between AI/ANs and other Medicare beneficiaries. 

Reports

The Burden of Diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Native Medicare Enrollees (2015)

Medicare Enrollment, Health Status, Service Use, and Payment Data for American Indians & Alaska Natives (2014)

Publications

O'Connell J, Rockell J, Ouellet JC, LeBeau M. Disparities in Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations Between American Indian and Alaska Native and Non-Hispanic White Medicare Enrollees. Med Care. 2017;55(6):569‐575. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000698