1. United States
2. Ind.
3. Letter

For generations, American Indian and Alaska Native communities have grappled with chronic underfunding of federal healthcare programs. Broadly speaking, AI/AN communities experience lower life expectancy, higher rates of chronic diseases like diabetes, and increased risks from COVID-19 and other unintentional injuries. These disparities are exacerbated by structural discrimination, historical trauma, and limited access to affordable health insurance. Moreover, many decades of underfunding have resulted in shortages of healthcare providers inadequate facilities to care for infants, pregnant women, and seniors, and limited access to specialists, especially in rural areas. Medicaid and the Indian Health Service are critical sources of health insurance and healthcare for AI/AN communities. About 2.7 million members of these communities have Medicaid, which includes roughly half of all AI/AN children. The threatened cuts to Medicaid would be catastrophic for these communities. I’m writing to demand that you protect AI/AN health by opposing any funding cuts to Medicaid and the Indian Health Service. These programs provide said communities with essential access to healthcare and are already woefully underfunded.