[fcnl-nalu] Urge leap to present-day health care for Indians

[Guest guest]

The time is right to urge reauthorization of the

Indian Health Care

Improvement Act (IHCIA) which will modernize

health treatment and

services available to Native Americans. The

measure, H.R. 5312, was

introduced in the House May 10 by Rep. Young (AK)

and congressional

leaders are beginning to focus on this important

legislation.

 

For many years Native Americans and allies have

sought the right to move

beyond yesteryear health delivery in Indian

Country. Please tell your

legislators that the waiting should end.

 

The revised IHCIA would enable Indian health care

systems to catch up

with changes that have taken place in the health

delivery system in the

rest of the country. These changes include home

health and hospice care

services. It would also shift the emphasis of

health care in Indian

Country from acute care to chronic care and

prevention and would give

greater attention to such problems as suicide and

methamphetamine

addiction which require comprehensive behavioral

change programs.

 

Take Action Now:

 

Ask your senators and representative to cosponsor

and support IHCIA

reauthorization bills S. 1057, introduced by

Sens. McCain (AZ) and

Dorgan (ND), and HR. 5312, introduced by Rep.

Young (AK).

 

Contact your members of Congress for free, click

here,

http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=8780566 & type=CO

 

Background:

 

Modernizing and improving the health care system

for American Indians

and Alaska Native communities is essential. IHCIA

was last reauthorized

in 1992. Indian Health Services will continue to

fall further behind

the advances in the delivery of health care if

Congress does not update

the IHCIA. For example, there are promising

developments in

telemedicine and tele-mental health.

Reauthorization has solid tribal

and bi-partisan support in Congress, but your

senators and

representative need to hear from you that

reauthorization of the IHCIA

should be a priority.

 

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO)

report documented the

health care crisis in the Indian Health Service

(IHS). Many of the IHS

facilities the GAO visited could not adequately

provide mental health,

dental, inpatient, and substance abuse treatment.

IHS officials said

the lack of services is hurting Indian patients,

families, and

communities. Medical personnel are sent out to

Indian Country through

IHCIA programs.

 

Reauthorization has been a coordinated,

grassroots effort involving a

unified effort by hundreds of tribes and by

allies such as Friends

Committee on National Legislation. Multiple

hearings have been held on

IHCIA and the White House has been consulted on a

regular basis. Now,

letters from the public are needed to ensure

reauthorization and save

lives.

 

Read a press release from the National Indian

Health Board:

http://www.nihb.org/article.php?story=20050518131605244

 

------------------------

 

Honor the Promises to Native Americans,

http://www.fcnl.org/nativeam/

 

Contact Congress and the Administration:

http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/

 

Order FCNL publications and " War is Not the

Answer " bumper stickers and

yard signs: http://www.fcnl.org/pubs/

http://www.fcnl.org/forms/forms.php?type=bump

 

Contribute to FCNL:

http://www.fcnl.org/donate/

 

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______________________

Friends Committee on National Legislation

245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795

fcnl * www.fcnl.org

phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330

 

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