TThe reservation of the Sonoma County -based Kashia Pomo tribe is about two hours from the nearest hospital or center offering critical medical services.
Reno Keoni Franklin, president of Kashia Pomo tribe, says that the medical care of the long journey is just a few of a few disorders affecting American Indians financed by federal dollars. For the Indian Health Service (IHS), the agency that provides medical care to domestic Americans, the financing is tended to national expenditures implemented by the Government Productivity Department (DOGE), where tribal leaders can worse their situation.
“These segments are in jeopardizing a working system. The concept made by Doge does not have a real value… They do not know what these workers do to provide basic services, Ron said Ron Allen, President of Jamestown S’klallam tribe. “An important pipeline to help the community. We are doing our best to make a difference. And we are still fighting.”
Trusting tribal to federal funds for medical care is part of its obligation to provide certain services, including health care for indigenous Americans, as the government takes over domestic lands.
However, the upcoming Doge sections can increase IHS, which is currently low. For the financial year of 2025, IHS received a budget of $ 8 billion far below its estimated need. IHS National Tribal Budget Formulation Working Group recommended The agency receives $ 73 billion – nine times the amount allocated to the agency. For tribal public health boards, managers can support the lack of financing by applying to federal grants with other third -party income payments from Doge and Medicare and Medicaid. President Trump said that Medicaid and Medicare would not be cut, and the Republican Republicans promised to make great deductions in their budgets. components Fear that two programs will be affected.
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The medical care system for American natives is complex. The tribes can choose to receive direct services from IHS-by supervising and supervising the clinics and services of the Ageans, they can also take the funds to be allocated to them, and often take responsibility for the management of their health services through a tribe Public Health Board.
“Doge begins to look at all these inefficiencies in the country of India, to close the facilities or to limit the amount of personnel that can be hired in each. This seems to have a drip effect; this is a tidal wave effect.
Dan closed At least 12 IHS offices or facilities According to Franklin, at least two of these positions in the USA provided basic services, including the examination of kitchen facilities where foods are prepared for water and sewage examination and local nutrition programs. “Our drinking water system needs. Our wastewater system needs update and modernization. And these field offices, these engineers were trying to do it for us, or he says.
Neither the White House nor IHS did not respond to Time’s request for comment on the closure of these offices.
Health leaders argue that lack of financing for IHS limits improvement in medical tools and systems that affect care quality. “To ensure that we have the latest equipment, the facilities are up -to -date to make sure that the facilities are up to date, Lok says Locklear. “So many changes in the field of medicine is difficult for the facilities to continue, probably one of the biggest obstacles and burdens.”
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IHS financing gap prevents people from being health workers or staying in these jobs. The gap rate for IHS professionals is approximately 30% and 36% for physicians. According to NIHB. The US is already a doctor’s scarcity.
“What is the sec. [Kennedy’s] If there are fewer people to do more work, will the trust and treaty with our sovereign nations will deal with their confidence obligations? ”Allen says.
The current DEGE deductions are at risk of losing approximately 2,500 employees of IHS, AC Locklear, the temporary CEO of the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), He told Native News Online. IHS clinics and facilities, even self -employed by tribes, offer only basic services. Sonoma County and Great Plains, tribal leaders, the facilities and other tribes of other tribes say that the facilities are not open overnight. It does not offer any emergency assistance elsewhere, ie American Indians and Alaska indigenous urgent care should travel to the nearest hospital when needed. Several tribes do not provide any local obstetric care, limit access Maternal health and health services. “One percent [in funding] It can make an extreme difference in the ability to provide maintenance, Lock says Locklear. “ A doctor can make a difference between having two doctors. “
American Indian and Alaska natives, which make up more than 11 million people in the USA, face serious health risks. According to the Office of Minority Health and Human Services Department, these groups have the lowest life expectancy at birth. American Indian and Alaska reported that the indigenous population is about five -fifth Fair or bad health In 2023.
The future of IHS is also Federal recruitment freezing. While IHS medical experts were exempted, hospital managers were affected by budget cuts. Since tribes trust too much for third -party income, managers play a major role in making clinics receive money for the services provided. An estimated 31.5% of American Indians and Alaska natives are registered to Medicaid, 12.8% registered to Medicare According to NIHB.
Nevertheless, IHS officials and some tribal leaders participating in meetings with other government leadership are hopeful that Trump management officials will listen to the concerns.
US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His commitment to the domestic community and tribal leaders At the end of February, promising “Making a priority of the Indian country”. Some tribal leaders are hopeful. Franklin, Kennedy’s late uncle John F. Kennedy’nin late President John F. Kennedy’in after visiting the legislation of a well system to a septic system, he says.
“Secretary Kennedy is aware and understands [legal] Trust responsibility from the federal government to the American Indian tribes, Frank says Franklin. I hope that. ”
But fears of a potential effect are still opposed to the authorities. A January note from the Management and Budget Office (OMB) led agencies to pause any federal financial aid program that many tribal public health committees trust.
“We have an agreement with the Federal Government to provide this public health services and to serve relatives in the Great Plains region, Jer The potential effect of the OMB grade could have been destructive for the Oyate Health Center, which he operated without the court order. “He would stop all the services and programs we provided through our grants.”
In large plains, tribal leaders can finance care for drug addiction – a problem with domestic Americans historically Faced and food aid programs.
HHS recently published a note offering employees a purchase of $ 25,000 for early retirement. The church said that at least 22 employees-managers, including a letter from HHS, will cause the most experienced nurses and employees to lose the most experienced nurses and employees, including at least 22 employees. In total, the hospital has approximately 20 providers facing 24,000 patients. At least one person confirmed that they would leave the clinic because of the purchase of the church. “We know that the voluntary employment proposal is typically presented before the involuntary, so we are worried about it, Chur.
While the leaders are optimistic, they still feel careful about what might happen later, and believe that Doge should act better carefully before taking action. “For the Indian health service, there are administrative costs that I think should be looked at before making a blanket invitation to leave the health system to reduce the labor force, Chur Church says.
“The tribes have entered into agreements with the government to provide health, as well as the tribes, with their territory and resources, and other things, as well as other things, Lok says Locklear. “The broken agreements have been accepted over and over.”
Uz We want to make sure that closure and allowance decisions and financing decisions have significant effects on American Indian and Alaska domestic lives. People and their ability to be healthy. “
