Life or death treatment decision questioned
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Editor,
I’m writing this letter in concern of our own tribal members regarding insurance in a life or death situation. It seems the Salish Kootenai tribes don’t care for their tribal members’ well-being when it comes to a head injury or a serious cut or something of that nature because all hospitals got a memo in their data bases/computers not to treat a tribal member unless it’s a life or death situation.
Define “life or death.” Does IHS or insurance really matter to hospital personnel when it comes to this? Who is covered and who has to pay? Even before you get in the door the hospital personnel relay the tribes memo not to treat unless dying. I mean, why does a tribal member have to be dying before he or she can get help?
My girlfriend had a head injury and the hospital was concerned if IHS would cover it, so I called IHS. They said they have to treat someone regardless if they have insurance or not and the payment should not reflect on the tribal member or anyone with insurance because things happen unexpectedly.
So please, tribal membership, listen up and observe the tribes really don’t care of our well-being and so just our memo to the tribes: We need our health and our well-being and money to live, same as the tribal council.
Harold F. Paul
Ronan
