Reznet

It’s amazing how fast a year goes by. Last May, when I met with the selection committee for the Kaiser Media Fellowship, I outlined my project. Several folks on the committee said I shouldn’t wait until fall to begin. The health care reform debate might be over by then – or so we thought.

Enacting health care reform was easy. Executing on real reform, now that’s a challenge.

What do people who work (or who have worked) for the Indian Health Service, think about the Indian Health Service?

Has the Indian Health Service been an effective, government-run delivery system?

It’s hard to communicate the failure of public policy in this great American city. A drive around town highlights the consequences from decades of neglect: Abandoned and burned out homes, office buildings as ruins, near-permanent unemployment, and thousands of empty lots capped with mounds.

Congress passed the health care reform legislation – and President Barack Obama signed the bill into law. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act was included – and now we can put this debate to rest. Right?

Statement of David M. Gipp, United Tribes Technical College President, concerning the apparent confirmation on April 8, 2010 by the North Dakota Board of Higher Education of its previously stated intent to retire the University of North Dakota "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo

The enactment of health care insurance reform raises a thorny (and complicated) question for Indian Country: Should American Indians and Alaska Natives eligible for services in the Indian health system buy their own insurance?

President Barack Obama is expected to nominate Dr. Donald M Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

National and tribal leaders and the U.S. Census Bureau are continuing to encourage Native Americans and all Americans to participate in the count this decade as a catalyst for change.

What does this mean for Indian Country? First, the U.S. recognizes its trust and treaty obligation for health care delivery to Natives. Second, there will be more money pumped into the Indian health system. And, third, President Barack Obama has delivered on a major promise to Indian Country.

The Miss Hozhoni Pageant, part of Fort Lewis College’s Hozhoni Days celebration, begins Monday, March 22 with the contestant introductions.

Depending on where you live, you might be seeing TV commercials every few hours warning about the dangers of health care reform. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is spending millions to stop this legislation.

While nearly 1/3 of children in the US are overweight or obese – a rate that has tripled in adolescents and more than doubled in younger children since 1980 – the overweight/obesity rate is even higher among AI/AN children, approaching 50%.

How does a health care agency listen to patient complaints in the era of social media? Well, the easiest thing to do is to ignore complaints or to explain them away. The best practice: Treat complaints as critical nuggets of information.

I didn’t figure the Indian health system would be a huge agenda item at the Blair House bipartisan meeting last week.

President Barack Obama is hosting a health care summit Thursday at the Blair House. It will be televised live. That transparency is an ideal opportunity for the president, Democrats and Republicans to put their best ideas forward and debate different approaches to solving the health care crisis.

It takes about 30 seconds of walking around the campus of the Alaska Native Medical Center to appreciate that you are in a special place. There are values communicated in every hallway.

President Barack Obama answered an important philosophical question last week: How will the federal government fully fund a starved Indian health system?

The Native Youth Language Project will train 30 students from the Santa Fe Indian School on the use of technology tools to create digital stories and short films.

Imagine what the Indian Health Service could bring to its patients by embracing openness. Real time information, ranging from data to patient feedback, can help any organization improve results. Quickly.

Renewables on Tribal Homelands: A Rosebud Sioux Tribe Renewable Energy Conference will be held April 28-30, 2010, at the Rosebud Casino & Hotel in South Dakota.

Perhaps one reason why the massive health care reform legislation is in so much trouble is that few people understand the details. The bill is massive, complicated, and packed with official government jargon.

Honoring Nations is a national awards program that identifies, celebrates, and shares outstanding examples of tribal governance. Deadline is January 29, 2010.

Did health care reform die at the ballot box? I’ve been reading on Twitter how pleased Republicans are with Scott Brown’s win for Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat. It’s a game changer.

The Indian health system is stuck in a world of conditional sentences. That’s a sentence with the phrase, “if … then.” If Congress passes health care reform, then …

The Indian health system has never had enough money – and therefore it’s essential to secure as many resources as possible in order to effectively treat the most patients.

Inauguration ceremonies will be held Jan. 7 at the Hopi Veterans Memorial Center for new tribal Chairman LeRoy N. Shingoitewa and Vice Chairman Herman Honanie.