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Wyden Urges Quick Passage Of
Indian Healthcare Improvement Act
Letter to Senate Majority Leader calls
for passage of legislation
supported by numerous Oregon tribes
September 29, 2004
Washington, DC – U.S.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) this week urged Senate Majority Leader
Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to bring the Indian Health Care Improvement
Act (IHCIA) to the floor as soon as possible for a vote. Wyden
joined Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and 17 other
Senators in sending a letter to Senator Frist urging that the
Senate reauthorize IHIA, which expired in 2001, leaving tribes
across the country without access to healthcare.
“It is critical that Native
American communities have the access to healthcare that many other
communities already enjoy,” stated Wyden. “I hope
that the Senate will act swiftly to pass this bill, which already
has strong support in Congress and among tribal leaders, so that
we can meet the need for vastly improved tribal healthcare throughout
Oregon.”
A number or Oregon tribes have
voiced strong support for the IHCIA, including the Siletz Tribal
Council, the Grande Ronde Tribe, the Coquille Indian Tribe and
the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation Tribal
Council, as well as the Northwest Area Indian Health Board.
The text of the letter follows.
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The Honorable Bill Frist
Majority Leader
United States Senate
The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Leader:
Since its enactment in 1976,
the “Indian Health Care Improvement Act” (IHCIA) has
provided the legal and administrative framework for carrying out
the United States’ trust responsibility to American Indians
and Alaska Natives. Unfortunately, IHCIA has not been reauthorized
since 1992 and the authorization expired at the end of fiscal
year 2001.
Tribal leaders from throughout
Indian Country took the initiative in 1998 to examine every provision
of IHCIA and draft a comprehensive update to the law. This work
culminated in the introduction of S. 556 by Senator Campbell.
Numerous compromises have been
made and entire provisions stripped out of the legislation, at
the request of the Administration, including all Medicare amendments.
Despite those unfortunate developments, tribal leaders are encouraged
that we are close to an agreement with the Administration which
would enable passage of S. 556.
It is the goal of this legislation
to enhance the provision of health services to this underserved
population, not to diminish authorities and responsibilities already
contained in current law. Therefore, we strongly urge you to work
with us to ensure the reported Senate version of the bill, which
protects Native American patients more effectively, is enacted.
As a recent U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (USCCR) report states, last year the Indian Health
Service (IHS) operated on just 52 percent of the budget that was
needed to adequately address the health care needs of Indian country
and had more than $3 billion in unmet needs. USCCR cites estimates
by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that per
capita health spending for all Americans at $5,065, while IHS
spent about $1,914 per person and average spending on Navajo patients
is $1,187. The USCCR adds, “In fact, the federal government
spends nearly twice as much money for a federal prisoner’s
health care than it does for an American Indian or Alaska Native.”
Consequently and not surprisingly, this disparity in funding translates
into severe health disparities for Native Americans. For example,
life expectancy is six years less than the rest of the United
States population. Tuberculosis rates are four times the national
average. Complications due to diabetes are almost three times
the national average, and death rates exceed the Healthy People
2010 targets by 233 percent. Infant mortality rates are 1.7 times
higher than the rate for white infants. These figures are shocking
and unacceptable.
As the National Indian Health Board has stated, “The travesty
in looking at the deplorable health of American Indians and Alaska
Natives is recognizing that the poor health indicators could be
improved if funding was available to provide even a basic level
of care.”
We urge immediate passage of
S. 556 as reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on
September 22, 2004. It is far past the time for this reauthorization
to be enacted. Passage of IHCIA will be an important step toward
improving the health and well-being of American Indians and Alaska
Natives. Again, we urge its swift passage this year.
Sincerely,
Sen. Daschle
Sen. Akaka
Sen. Cantwell
Sen. Baucus
Sen. Stabenow
Sen. Wyden
Sen. Kennedy
Sen. Feingold
Sen. Byrd
Sen. Bingaman
Sen. Dorgan
Sen. Conrad
Sen. Murray
Sen. Lautenberg
Sen. Jeffords
Sen. Johnson
Sen. Kohl
Sen. Inouye
Sen. Ben Nelson
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