After declaring a health care emergency, the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board has asked Congress to investigate the delivery of medical care by the Indian Health Service on the Montana reservation, The Associated Press reported this morning.
"The crisis we're talking about has been building for years due to a lack of funding and a lack of true leadership in the IHS," tribal Medical Director James Melbourne was quoted as saying in the AP report.
The tribes have spent $16,000 to $20,000 on kidney dialysis machines. Last week, Melbourne had to find $2,000 to buy a coloscope, needed to examine sexually abused children. Other equipment is still needed, including ultrasound machines. But Melbourne said IHS will not pay for any of the equipment because it is not a priority.
In addition to the equipment, the tribes’ health department has staff shortages and lacks vital services, such as addiction counseling and nutrition services.
At its Jan. 28 meeting, the Tribal Executive Board voted for a comprehensive review of the IHS, as it relates to the reservation, and to start gathering evidence to take over portions of it.
"The crisis we're talking about has been building for years due to a lack of funding and a lack of true leadership in the IHS," tribal Medical Director James Melbourne was quoted as saying in the AP report.
The tribes have spent $16,000 to $20,000 on kidney dialysis machines. Last week, Melbourne had to find $2,000 to buy a coloscope, needed to examine sexually abused children. Other equipment is still needed, including ultrasound machines. But Melbourne said IHS will not pay for any of the equipment because it is not a priority.
In addition to the equipment, the tribes’ health department has staff shortages and lacks vital services, such as addiction counseling and nutrition services.
At its Jan. 28 meeting, the Tribal Executive Board voted for a comprehensive review of the IHS, as it relates to the reservation, and to start gathering evidence to take over portions of it.
This is probably one of the biggest issues on all reservations.
ReplyDeleteOn my reservation, we are told that contract health will only pay for emergency care if it's "life or death". So I was sent (by IHS) on an emergency with a strangulated hernia that was near the breaking point and was operated on within hours. I recovered and was told by contract health that it wasn't "life or death" because I got better!!!
My father has coronary heart disease and my mother called because he was having a severe episode with chest pains. IHS said "we know he has problems...Is he breathing?...well...if he's breathing it's not an emergency"!!! He lives more than twenty miles from the nearest hospital, so I guess we are suppose to wait for him to stop breathing, transport him the twenty plus miles and expect him to live???
This is unreal. I know some of it is administration trying to save money...and some of it is federal cuts. During the Clinton administration I had a severely premature baby and contract health, along with the state helped me with the long hospitalizaion and operations. IHS even paid for my travel and hotels to be with my son. Now we can't even get any help for emergency care and end up with enormous medical bills.
Health insurance? I was working for the tribe when I had my hernia and was suppose to be covered by health insurance, it was a crappy insurance. My monthly health premium was $350...which is all the insurance paid for the entire bill...$350, leaving me with more than 5k in bills.
These problems need to be fixed, and MOST treaties promised health care for natives by the federal government. My father said that it's a huge loophole, because it does not address HOW MUCH is covered. One doctor and one nurse giving vaccines might be construed as "health care". It is an unscrupulous interpretation, but it is clear what the original intent and understanding was. I wish there was more media attention given to the matters of broken promises in Indian Country.