The Indian Health Care Improvement Act was created on September 30th, 1976 in the United States. This act declares it to be national policy to issue the highest possible health status to all Indians across the United States, as well as to provide existing Indian health services with the necessary resources to put this policy into effect. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/94th-congress/house-bill/12331). “While spending for Indian Health Service activities has grown from $128 million in FY 1970 to $425 million in FY 1977, Indian people still lag behind the American people as a whole in achieving and maintaining good health. I am signing this bill because of my own conviction that our First Americans should not be last in opportunity.” states President Ford on October 1st, 1976, regarding the signing the of the bill. (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7345991?q=indian%20health%20care%20improvement%20act) Congress finds that the health needs of the Indians have been unmet and as a result, Indians have been succumbed to diseases that could have been prevented and have suffered premature deaths. This policy was written in an attempt to bridge the gap between the health conditions of Indians and of the general U.S. population. It will provide …show more content…
Department of Health and Human Services holds an operating division titled the Indian Health Service. The Indian Health Service was established in 1956, with the purpose to transfer the responsibility of health care of American Indian and Alaska Natives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Public Health Services. The goal was to improve the health care status of Native Americans living on designated reservations. This division is in charge of supplying medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Natives. Health care services are made available at 33 hospitals, 59 health centers, 50 health stations and 34 urban Indian health facilities all across the United States. (Wikipedia,