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Tribes forced to ration funds for health services
Friday, February 2, 2007
Filed Under: Health

The Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma says limited resources force the tribe to ration health care services.

The tribe receives $3.8 million from the Indian Health Service. Although the tribe adds $3.6 million of its own money, that's not enough to meet the needs of all the tribal members and Native Americans in the tribe's service area.

"The actual need, if you look at all the services we provide, is around $12 million, so we're able to only meet half of that budget," Creek Nation Health Systems CEO Judy Aaron tells KOTV.

The Creek Nation essentially runs out of money halfway through the year. Other tribes are in the same boat, a situation that led to the often-heard phrase "Don't get sick after June."

Get the Story:
Indian Health Care "Rationing" Medical Coverage (KOTV 2/1)

Relevant Links:
Indian Health Service - http://www.ihs.gov
National Indian Health Board - http://www.nihb.org

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