Acknowledging difference, not defeat
A racial justice perspective on the Medicaid debate The federal Medicaid program has become something of a policy piñata in the national discourse. Over the course of the past year conservatives have been asking, “is Medicaid real health insurance?” The public insurance program for low-income individuals has been criticized for not providing sufficient access to [...]
James was a man of small stature, but with much pizazz. He would come into the record store where I worked during undergrad to check the billboard charts once a week and purchase a few records here and there. He became my friend somewhere through mid to late nineties contemporary rhythm and blues. He had [...]
Continue reading …“If we want our study samples to be broadly representative, then we should make every effort to make our institutions equally representative by increasing the presence of minority clinicians, scientists and members of research teams and institutional review boards. If we want minority communities to participate in our work, we must first fix the racial [...]
Continue reading …A philosophical question: How much medical training is needed to treat patients? Some say it’s the full course as proscribed by existing medical, nursing or dental schools. But when the shortages of doctors, nurses and dentists are ginormous, does the need require a different answer? Consider oral health. “Shortages of dental practitioners and affordable dental [...]
Continue reading …It contributed to the death of the black comedian, Richard Pryor. Actresses Annette Funicello, formerly of the Mickey Mouse Club and Beach Blanket movies, and Terri Garr, Young Frankenstein and many other movies, have it. It is the debilitating and incurable disease known as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). As a part of my education about the [...]
Continue reading …By Cheryl Staats, Research Assistant at the Kirwan Institute In the midst of the uproar surrounding comprehensive immigration reform and the devastating new law in Arizona that seemingly legalizes racial profiling, immigrants and their advocates and organizers are shouldering the strains of these significant challenges. While these battles are ongoing, one bright spot has recently [...]
Continue reading …Measuring the progress in native health – life expectancy for Native Americans
May 4, 2010 Comments OffHas the Indian Health Service been an effective, government-run delivery system? Consider this from a White House memo: “While there has been improvements in health status of Indians in the past 15 years, a loss of momentum can further slow the already sluggish rate of approach to parity. Increased momentum in health delivery and sanitation [...]
Continue reading …A thorny question: Should American Indians and Alaska Natives buy their own health insurance?
April 6, 2010 Comments OffThe 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? The first answer ought to be a resounding “no.” Clearly the United States has an obligation for health care because of [...]
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