Redeeming hollow promises: the case for mandatory spending on health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Publisher: American Public Health Association Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 1254074 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0090-0036 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00900036 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Am J Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: Washington, DC : American Public Health Association
Original Publication: New York [etc.]

Indians, North American* ; Inuit*; Delivery of Health Care/*economics ; Financing, Government/*organization & administration ; United States Indian Health Service/*economics; Budgets/legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Policy/legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; United States ; United States Indian Health Service/organization & administration

The reliance on discretionary spending for American Indian/ Alaska Native health care has produced a system that is insufficient and unreliable and is associated with ongoing health disparities. Moreover, the gap between mandatory spending on a Medicare beneficiary and discretionary spending on an American Indian/Alaska Native beneficiary has grown dramatically, thus compounding the problem. The budget classification for American Indian/Alaska Native health services should be changed, and health care delivery to this population should be designated as mandatory spending. If a correct structure is in place, mandatory spending is more likely to provide adequate funding that keeps pace with changes in costs and need.

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Date Created: 20060302 Date Completed: 20060522 Latest Revision: 20240314

20250114

PMC1470551

10.2105/AJPH.2004.053793

16507732