Kickapoo Tribe cites lack of contract health dollars
Friday, June 27, 2008
Filed Under:
Health
It's June so that means the
Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas has run out of contract health service funds, Chairman Steve Cadue said in a letter to members of Congress.
The
Indian Health Service uses contract health service to pay outside providers for care that it cannot provide at its facilities. Tribes have discovered that the money runs out quickly, leading to the common phrase -- "Don't get sick after June."
"Native Americans continue to experience health disparities at a far greater rate than other Americans," Cadue said in the letter, WIBW-TV reported. "The lack of federal assistance health care monies is becoming a matter of life and death."
The
Senate Indian Affairs Committee held a hearing yesterday to address the shortfall. Tribal witnesses said IHS is denying more and more claims for contract health services.
Get the Story:
Indian Health Care System Deemed Inadequate by Kansas Tribe
(WIBW 6/26)
Low funds mean low-quality care for American Indians (Medill Reports 6/26)
Related Stories:
Senate Indian Affairs hearing on contract health
(6/26)
Witness list for Senate
hearing on contract health (6/25)
Senate
Indian Affairs hearing on contract health (6/23)
Senate committee to examine contract health
services (4/7)
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