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Law reauthorizes the Indian health care system
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CopySenator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) hailed the enactment of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), which was included in the larger health care reform bill signed into law by President Obama. The law reauthorizes the IHCIA for the first time since 2000. It gives tribes more flexibility to administer health care funds and authorizes new programs at the Indian Health Service (IHS), including long-term care, youth suicide prevention and mental treatment.
The IHCIA was first passed in 1976, but its policy provisions haven't been substantially updated since 1992. The measure expired in 2001, resulting in the government spending money on Indian health care without policy direction from Congress.
Cantwell, a long-time member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, has been fighting for this legislation for almost a decade.
"This is a historic moment for the 1.9 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives who have waited too long to modernize their health care," Cantwell said. "President Obama's signature today reaffirms the U.S. government's commitment to provide health care to all of Indian Country. It gives tribes flexibility in administering health care and establishing new programs critical to the health of tribal communities. I am especially proud that we found a way to ensure Pacific Northwest tribes have the same access to facility construction funds as larger land-based tribes."
This reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act allows IHS to share staff with tribal long-term care programs. It increases the resources available to combat communicable diseases and will expand the type of facilities construction projects IHS can undertake.
The new law includes a Cantwell provision to ensure smaller tribes have the same access as larger tribes to funds for facilities construction.
Copyright 2010 The Othello Outlook, Othello, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 2010 The Othello Outlook Othello, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.
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