The suit also alleges that CNO, which has operated programs under the auspices of the Indian Health Service (IHS), has denied treatment to UKB members.
http://www.unitedkeetoowahband.org/
With all due respect to the UKB, their lawsuit is really misplaced. UKB needs to join forces with the Cherokee Nation to impress upon Congress there is a great deal lacking in Indian Health Care - I find it hard to believe and Chief Smith has denied that any Indian is refused care at the Indian Clinics - in fact some federal health care programs require the Indian Clinics to provide care for non Indians.
I suspect as we can see, non Indian Freedmen without membership cards would be denied care altough some factions within the Cherokee Nation consider them Cherokee. I suspect that if there are any *persons* denied care it is because they are not members of any Federal Tribes or the funding is not there for the care. The Cherokee Nation can not provide that which Congress has not funded or which Congress does not fund at all!!
Not to mention IHS has given the UKB their own health care contract!
http://www.unitedkeetoowahband.org/
With all due respect to the UKB, their lawsuit is really misplaced. UKB needs to join forces with the Cherokee Nation to impress upon Congress there is a great deal lacking in Indian Health Care - I find it hard to believe and Chief Smith has denied that any Indian is refused care at the Indian Clinics - in fact some federal health care programs require the Indian Clinics to provide care for non Indians.
I suspect as we can see, non Indian Freedmen without membership cards would be denied care altough some factions within the Cherokee Nation consider them Cherokee. I suspect that if there are any *persons* denied care it is because they are not members of any Federal Tribes or the funding is not there for the care. The Cherokee Nation can not provide that which Congress has not funded or which Congress does not fund at all!!
Not to mention IHS has given the UKB their own health care contract!