WASHINGTON – Montana Sen. Max Baucus has asked for a government investigation into the troubled Indian Health Service and how it allocates its resources around the country.
In a letter to the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, Baucus did not detail what he wanted the department to probe but asked for a “thorough investigation of IHS and how it keeps America’s promise to its first citizens.”
Earlier this month, Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board has declared a health care emergency on the reservation. The tribe has asked Congress to look into delivery of medical care by the Indian Health Service. Tribal officials say there is a shortage of money for equipment and personnel, and that many people have to be referred off the reservation for treatment.