Baucus Plan Calls for Increased Funding for IHS

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus will announce his blueprint for health reform at noon today. Baucus describes the plan as his vision for both policy and the process in the upcoming health care reform debate. Noteworthy for Indian Country,  Baucus acknowledges that federal spending on health care for Native Americans is far short of what is needed. His plan would increase funding for IHS and encourage Native Americans to enroll in other programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP for those who are eligible to defray the costs borne by the IHS directly. Read the entire plan here.