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Joe Garcia: Pass Indian Health Care Improvement Act
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Filed Under: Health | Opinion

"The time has come for Congress to stand up and protect the lives of American Indians through reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

What if your life expectancy was cut by 10 years?

What if someone you love had a brain tumor misdiagnosed as depression?

For American Indians, this is a reality. Thousands upon thousands of Native people are dying, right here in our backyard, because of terrible health care. Most Native communities have only one doctor and that one doctor sees 10 people a day. Indian country’s health care system is so poor that cancer is being misdiagnosed as depression.

Take, for example, the story of Ta’Shon Rain Littlelight. She was a precious girl who loved to dance. She went to the health clinic numerous times; and despite her condition showing lack of oxygen to her body, she kept being diagnosed with depression time and time again. Her diagnosis was cancer and she died at the age of 5. She died unmedicated and in tremendous pain.

This is just one of many stories from Indian country that tells the unbelievable status of Indian health care. American Indian and Alaska Natives face massive health disparities. The statistics are startling."

Get the Story:
Joe Garcia: Stand up, Congress, and pass Indian health legislation (Indian Country Today 9/15)

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments:
S.1200 | H.R.1328

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Sen. Dorgan weighs strategy for passage of IHCIA (08/29)
In These Times: Poison pill in Indian health care bill (7/9)
Pro-Life Site: Abortion lobby targets Native women (06/10)

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