Clients fall through the IHS cracks: Contract care often confuses

0 Comments | Indian Country Today (Lakota Times), July, 1998

Indian Country Today (Lakota Times) 07-07-1998 Clients fall through the IHS cracks: Contract care often confuses ABERDEEN, S.D. -- Indian Health Service is charged with providing health care for all American Indians in theory. In practice many, confused by the rules, fall through cracks in the system. "We're mandated to offer care to Indian patients who are enrolled or descendants of parents who are enrolled by federally recognized tribes," said Flora Odegaard, deputy contract officer for the Aberdeen Area IHS. The catch is that the mandate applies to direct services only -- contract health care is a completely different story. "We offer direct services to everyone," Jim Cournoyer, service unit director for Sioux San Hospital in Rapid City said.

"Surgery and...