News Article about IHS and the deplorable conditions American Indians face

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I found this article to be heartbreaking and absolutely ridiculous!! Can anyone else believe this is happening in the US??

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090614/ap_on_go_ot/us_health_care_s_forgotten

Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

Sad to say, this is very true and one of the best kept secrets and shames of our nation.

Taken from that article:

On some reservations, the oft-quoted refrain is "don't get sick after June," when the federal dollars run out. It's a sick joke, and a sad one, because it's sometimes true, especially on the poorest reservations where residents cannot afford health insurance. Officials say they have about half of what they need to operate, and patients know they must be dying or about to lose a limb to get serious care.

Wealthier tribes can supplement the federal health service budget with their own money. But poorer tribes, often those on the most remote reservations, far away from city hospitals, are stuck with grossly substandard care. The agency itself describes a "rationed health care system."

The sad fact is an old fact, too.

Socialized medicine...American style.

I have provided several past articles in this forum regarding this very topic.

Please review at your leisure.

Thanks for the post.

Thank you for posting this. This unfortunate tragedy happened near my hometown, and it is sickening to see the lack of healthcare and other resources available for Native Americans.

+ Add a Comment