U.S. bill proposed to reform Native American health agency

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

U.S. bill proposed to reform Native American health agency
By Mimi Dwyer

May 19, 2016

(Reuters) - Two Republican Senators introduced a bill on Thursday aimed at improving the Indian Health Service, the embattled federal agency that provides healthcare to Native Americans on reservations. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, who introduced the legislation with Senator John Thune of South Dakota, said in a statement that it was "an important first step" toward ensuring tribal members receive proper healthcare.

The Indian Health Service Accountability Act would expedite discipline and firing of problem IHS employees, as well as offer more competitive salaries and hiring incentives. The law would require that reports on inspections of IHS hospitals and clinics by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) be posted on the facilities' websites.The Inspector General of Health and Human Services, which oversees the IHS, would investigate patient deaths at IHS facilities.

Substandard care has long been an issue for IHS hospitals and clinics, especially in the Great Plains region of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa, home to some of the nation's poorest Native American tribes. Many IHS facilities struggle to recruit staff due to their remote locations and low pay rates.

Tribal hospitals in Pine Ridge, South Dakota and Rosebud, South Dakota, have drawn particular scrutiny from tribal leadership and from Congress. One inspection of Rosebud Hospital in November found evidence of untreated tuberculosis, unsterilized handwashed surgical equipment and accounts of a premature baby born on a bathroom floor.


Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-bill-proposed-reform-native-american-health-agency-201556157.html?nhp=1

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Yeah it's getting near election time

those Republican Senators better make it look like they actually do something

if they want Republicans reelected

[pmorlan1]

2. They must have seen

Bernie's town hall meeting about this.

[CountAllVotes]

5. Yes, Bernie was the 1st person to even touch this issue

and oh yeah, it is a HOT one and filled w/fraud. See my post below as an example of the sort of care they are giving.

I even know of a person with asthma that was being RX'd NORCO for asthma! Giant ...

[jwirr]

3. Hmmm, I am going to take this with a grain of salt. Most

tribes do not want the feds in their business. The one thing that I do know is true in this article is that these rural communities do have a hard time recruiting doctors but then so to most extremely rural communities.

There used to be a program that allowed students who were very poor to go to college and pay the loans back by going out to these remote areas. I don't know if it still exists.

Since I have not been out to these reservations for many years I do not know what the conditions are.

Here in MN we have an excellent clinic and nursing home run by the tribe. No such problems.

[CountAllVotes]

4. The one here was doling out NORCO to everyone

Including my late friend. She was Dine and told them that she did not want any NORCO and they didn't understand why.

She moved away and died a few months later. Seems she had a huge tumor inside of her and it was cancer. I am thinking that the IHS must have known and was just trying to dope her up and be rid of her.

Pissed you ask? Yeah just a tad!

[jwirr]

6. That is terrible. It sounds to me that you have someone

running that clinic/hospital that does not want to be there and is taking it out on the patients. That was the problem with the college problems I spoke of.

Our medical situation is a bit different because we are not in a extremely rural area. No problem getting doctors that stay and we also have Natives running much of the program. Hiring-firing, nurses, administration staff etc. When my granddaughter was hired to the administrative staff suddenly she was being told by all the patients - hey we are related. And they were. Most of our rez is related.

My daughter works at the drug treatment center which is part of the medical system here.

The tribe would be protesting at the door if it was run the way these two posts are suggesting. We also have easy access to other area clinics and hospitals and that probably makes a difference.

[CountAllVotes]

7. It is a mess

There are many (several ++) tribes in one area where I am. There is also a lot of I'm better than you sort of crap that goes on between tribes.

Right smack in the middle of it is the IHS here. They are supposed to help all of them. Do they? It seems not.

As for the reference to dishing out NORCO en mass, well this has had great harm for others that they don't even consider, like patients that do not go to the IHS and have chronic pain. Seems many of the people going there and getting the NORCO were gladly taking it and turning around and selling it, thus giving another black eye to someone that suffers from chronic pain.

The system sucks badly and I don't know if the person running it likes the job or not. I've heard mostly negative things but I cannot judge being I don't go there and I'm glad I never got involved in it after what happened to my very dear friend!

I'll never get over it. I heard the person in charge is under investigation and was told to stop RX'ing NORCO to everyone that walks through the door. Sad situation at best!!!!!!

[Akicita]

8. This is a good and needed bill that we should be supporting. Screw anyone who wants to mock it just

for political sport.

[McKim]

9. Privatization? Or Just Reorganization?

I am suspicious, is this an attempt to privatize health services for Native Americans? Why aren't we calling it the Native American Health Service, this is 2016! Our daughter is a family medicine physician at one of these places. Some docs are interested in more than money!