Submitted by EBCI Tribal Option
EBCI Tribal Option will celebrate five years of caring for members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) with a free, family-centered Teddy Bear Clinic on Friday, July 31 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Welch Top Conference Room at Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority. As of today, 5,459 members are enrolled and currently being served by EBCI Tribal Option.
“This anniversary represents five years of exercising Tribal sovereignty, strengthening relationships with our members and creating a system of care that is shaped by the needs and values of our people,” said Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Chief Executive Officer Casey Cooper. “The EBCI Tribal Option gives us the opportunity to connect members with coordinated, relationship-based care while also addressing the broader factors that influence their health and well-being. We are proud of what has been accomplished through the trust and collaboration of our Tribe, our staff, our state and federal partners, and most importantly Tribal Option Members who trust us to care for them.”
During the Teddy Bear Clinic, children will guide their teddy bears through a miniature hospital experience designed to make healthcare visits feel more familiar and less intimidating. Children may bring a teddy bear from home, and free teddy bears will also be available while supplies last.
Each child will receive a teddy bear medical chart and take their bear through several interactive stations, including patient registration, triage, laboratory services and radiology. Participants will help check their bear’s temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure, perform a pretend lab test, and view a teddy bear X-ray!
After completing the clinic, children will graduate as official “Teddy Bear Doctor.” The experience is designed to help children learn about the roles of healthcare professionals, understand what happens during common medical visits and build confidence through hands-on activities.
Adult EBCI Tribal Option members are also encouraged to attend. Throughout the event, members can meet individually with Tribal Option care managers, ask questions about benefits and available resources, learn more about care coordination and receive a free blood pressure screening. Anniversary gifts, health education materials, giveaways and snacks will also be available while supplies last.
Held under the theme “5 Years of Caring Together,” the celebration marks five years since the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians made history in 2021 by becoming the first Native nation in the country to launch its own Medicaid managed care entity through a state primary care case management program.
For decades, CIHA has worked to strengthen primary care and expand relationship-based, team-based services. The creation of the EBCI Tribal Option within CIHA was a natural next step in CIHA’s long-term vision to provide more comprehensive, coordinated and higher-quality care.
Through the program, members receive care management and coordinated support designed around their individual healthcare needs. The EBCI Tribal Option does not manage claims or assume financial risk. Instead, it receives a risk-adjusted, per-member monthly payment from the state to provide care management services. Through partnerships with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation, the EBCI Tribal Option is also able to provide additional value-added services and resources for its members.
The Teddy Bear Clinic is a fun way to celebrate five years of the EBCI Tribal Option supporting the health and well-being of enrolled members while offering children and adults an opportunity to engage with healthcare in a welcoming, educational environment.
For additional information and event updates, visit EBCI Tribal Option’s Facebook page.
