Independent news from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

Indian Health Service: “Don’t get sick after June.”

JT Shining Oneside shared stories about her Ojibwe and Anishinaabe inheritance during the Native American Heritage Month Celebration on Nov. 15. She spoke about the coming-of-age and traditional birth ceremonies. (Photo credit/ Adrianna Adame)
Lower Brule Chairman Mike Jandreau/Fox News photo
Lower Brule Chairman Mike Jandreau/Fox News photo

Here’s a Fox network story/video on Indian Health Care.

The content within the video is true, as I’ve seen and heard hundreds of similar stories about the Indian Health Service through friends and family and a decade of news reporting in Indian Country. The story here on Fox is not an exaggeration. On the other hand, the Fox video works hard to convince people that if the federal government has a hand in health care, everyone would suffer the same as the Natives in the video.

I sincerely doubt the tragedy of health care in Indian Country would ever be allowed to happen to the rest of the country. Congress has short-changed Indian health care because they could. Native people make up only about 1 percent of the U.S. population. We have had few people to stand up and advocate on our behalf. As the health care reform debate continues, I hope more media outlets and grassroots organizers bring more attention to the IHS policy of “life or limb,” meaning you’re likely to get medical help if you are likely to die or need a limb amputated.

Jodi Rave

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear is the founder and director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization with offices in Bismarck, N.D. and the Fort Berthold Reservation. Jodi spent 15 years reporting for the mainstream press. She's been awarded prestigious Nieman and John S. Knight journalism fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. She also an MIT Knight Science Journalism Project fellow. Her writing is featured in "The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity," published by Columbia University Press. Jodi currently serves as a Society of Professional Journalists at-large board member, an SPJ Foundation board member, and she chairs the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee. Jodi has won top journalism awards from mainstream and Native press organizations. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

3 Comments

  • Twyla Baker-Demaray

    I’m not shocked, being that it’s Fox news – haha. Actually Obama’s plan would provide increased support to the tune of around a 13% increase in funding to IHS, the largest increase in many, many years. Just more fear-mongering from the far right, as far as health care reform is concerned. What they don’t recognize is that Native health advocates and workers have been pushing reform for decades, due exactly to the state of IHS care today. It’s their business to know what’s going on.

  • Jim Porter

    As a consumer of the Indian Health Service care system, I am very concerned that, in time, the IHS will be pushed into the sewer, despite Obama’s promise of a large increase in funding. He has demonstrated that he really doesn’t keep his promises, and if public opinion pressure from non-Indian people begins to descend on the Indian people and IHS, I think the Democrats will fold, also. We always get assurance from liberals and their allies that they are on our side. They are among the first to run. We have seen it time and again.

  • Barbara Blackdeer-Mackenzie

    All citizens of the US need to understand what “fiduciary responsibility” means. Then they need to learn the real history of North America, and shift attitudes toward equity.

    We also need people of strong character (not characters!) for politicians– people who will talk and walk the good path for the people of this country, not lobbyists and special interest groups seeking greater profit for their companies.

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