Creating Supportive Partnerships Between Medicaid and Tribal Communities

Medicaid can partner with tribal communities to better serve their members, who face persistent and significant health disparities. But before deciding how to address tribal needs, it is critical for Medicaid agencies to forge strong partnerships by actively listening to what the tribes need and want.

This episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast explores how Medicaid can better serve tribes by establishing clear lines of communication between tribal communities and Medicaid staff. The episode highlights the importance of respect in building partnerships with tribes and acknowledges how the rich histories of these communities impacts their needs, health, and well-being.

The conversation features perspectives from two tribal leaders and an Arizona Medicaid leader:

• Kim Russell, executive director, Navajo Nation Department of Health and former Director of the Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care
• Monica Antone, former Lieutenant Governor for the Gila River Indian Community
• Marcus Johnson, deputy director, Community Engagement and Regulatory Affairs, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System

The episode is hosted by Mark Larson, former Vermont Medicaid director and senior vice president, Leadership and Capacity Building, Center for Health Care Strategies. The Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast explores priority topics for Medicaid leaders. It is developed in partnership by National Association of Medicaid Directors and CHCS through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.