Kickapoo Nation declares health care emergency
9:22 p.m. Monday, July 28, 2008
The seats inside the Kickapoo's health center are empty. There has been a steady flow of walk-ins to the clinic, but the one doctor who serves the patients is out sick today.
"Health care here has been off-and-on because we haven't had the physicians here every day," patient Joe Williams said.
There just isn't enough money to fund the center the way it should be funded. Kansas Kickapoo Chairman Steve Cadue says the U.S. has turned its back on the treaty to provide American-Indians with health care.
"This obligation is as old as the United States," Cadue said. "They've reneged on nearly every treaty obligation that they owe the Native-American people."
Related content
Dig deeper into the issue; read the executive summary and recommendations by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (.pdf).
Tap into the Web site for the Government Accountability Office.
Go to the Web site for the U.S. commission on Civil Rights.
Though the U.S. is legally bound to provide health care to Native-Americans, funding for programs has not kept up with the rising costs. Native-Americans have a lower life expectancy than any other racial/ethnic group and higher rates of many diseases, according to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Yet many American-Indians are forced to go to facilities outside of their government funded clinics because the clinics are severely underfunded.
"It's gonna come out of that person's pocket and that goes against what the federal government promised they would do," Williams said.
Just last month, the Government Accountability Office found the Indian Health Services mismanagement has led to millions of dollars in lost or stolen property.
"We have Indian people dying, and now the Indian Health Service loses $15 million," Cadue said. "It's a national disgrace."
So Cadue has taken his fight to a national level, speaking with senators and congressmen and women from Kansas. In August, Cadue will go to the Democratic National Convention as a Kansas Delegate to try and plead his people's case for help.
"I wish to speak to Senator [Barack] Obama during the convention week and express to him that Indian tribes all across the country face this crisis," Cadue said.
Comments
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Jul. 29, 2008 at 12:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)GIJOE (anonymous)
wanting more money from the government. you take away jobs that people have had in your community for years and now you want more money. take it out of your casino profits!! i would not give you a dime.
Aug. 5, 2008 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)Nekiia (anonymous)
Money, Making good on treaty obligations, Federal Trust Responsibility....whatever you want to call it gijoe. For your info, we do take money from our casino to supplement federal program dollars because the government falls short of the deal they made in return for our land and resources. Don't know who took your job, but we are the biggest employer in NE Kansas. First casino in Kansas. Guess who was first in line to take money from our casino? The government. Your state government needed help supplementing it's own budget. We also have a room just for all the letters asking for donations from groups across the state wanting our help. Maybe you could give them your dimes? Ever hear the old saying "Nothing Good Ever Happens After Midnight?"
Aug. 30, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)NEKnurse (anonymous)
I sympathize with anyone who is without adequate healthcare. However, living in the community and working at the local hospital, I see many people abuse the system. Presenting to the emergency room with non-emergent complaints such as pinkeye, bug bites or issues that have been bothering someone for 2 or 3 days... they just didn't "get around to" going to the clinic. Now, if I'm not mistaken, I imagine an ER visit costs much more than a clinic visit, and since most of these "clinic ER's" (as we call them) happen after the regular clinic hours, are they not covered by Indian Health Services? To me, that is a waste of resources. Don't misunderstand me, many of the Native American patients that we treat in the ER are genuinely in need of emergant services... but there are some that do abuse the system. Maybe more education on what proper use of healthcare resources, maybe look into hiring a PA or Nurse Practitioner to supplement your staffing issues... just suggestions. Please take this for what it is, just an observation. let me add that this is not ONLY an issue with native american population, I do see abuse with other forms of government provided health care.
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