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PRESS
RELEASE CONTACT: Amber Traversie
CHEYENNE
RIVER SIOUX TRIBE 605-964-4155
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe takes Firm Action to
Provide for Health Care of Members
Enough is enough! The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
(CRST) took official action on May 14, 2004 and
passed Resolution No. 187-04-CR. Stating; “the
Tribe and its people are no longer able to tolerate
the physical and emotional suffering caused by the
policies and practices of the Indian Health Service
and its doctors”
Chairman
Frazier, said, “We have tried to work within
the system. In 2002, the CRST conducted extensive
Hearings on the Health and well being of our People.
We took testimonies and used the data to inform
the Administration. Dr. Grimm and Senator Johnson
came to Eagle Butte and listened to our concerns,
in the fall of 2003. The CRST has had numerous meetings
with the Indian Health Service Administrators. We
have met with Members of Congress; Senator Daschle
has tried to increase the funding for Indian Health,
I have provided testimony to Congress with sound
evidence and statistics of our problems at CRST.
It is a sad day when our statistics and evidence
falls on deaf ears with the Administration. Especially,
since the United States Government has obligated
itself to provide health care to the Tribe’s
people through its laws and through its Treaties
with the Lakota Oyate.”
Chairman
Frazier stated, “The CRST is now forced to
take extreme measures to provide basic health care
for the Tribe’s people.” “The
health and well-being of the Tribe’s people
is vital both to the Tribe’s future and to
the exercise of its Sovereignty” as stated
in the Resolution.
Resolution
No. 187-04-CR reads:
“THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal
Council hereby approves of and supports the following
efforts to change the policies and practices of
the Indian Health Service Eagle Butte Service Unit:
1) The Tribe will assist tribal members to bring
malpractice suits against the Indian
Health Service by coordinating with private malpractice
attorneys to take such cases
On a contingency basis.
2) The Tribe will further investigate the possibility
of a class action suit against the
Indian Health Service
3)
The Tribe will hold hearings and gather testimony
from tribal members involving
Recent problems with the Indian Health Service.
This testimony will be brought
To Congress with the intent of requesting hearings
on the impact of the Indian
Health Service policies and practices on patient
care and health outcomes.
4) The Tribe will write a letter for Senator Tom
Daschle requesting a General
Accounting Office study on the impact of 3rd party
billing on Indian Health
Service funding.
5) The Tribe will meet with local and area Indian
Health Service officials
And request a change in the implementation of the
Indian Health Service
Priority system to reflect a greater emphasis on
early detection and
Treatment and preventative care. The Tribe will
support a demonstration
Project which will test the economic and medical
effectiveness of such change.”
Resolution No. 187-04-CR was passed unanimously
by the CRST during its Special Session held on May
14, 2004.
Chairman
Frazier said, “There is currently a crisis
in health care for our Tribal members and their
families at CRST. Out service unit is only funded
to meet barely 46% of the health care needs of our
People. There is NO quality care for our members
and we are losing people because of it. Enough is
enough! We have tried the Administrative route,
the Congressional Route, now, we will explore the
Legal Route.”
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