"New hopes on health care for American Indians" response

The article, "New hopes on health care for American Indians" from The New York Times focuses on the current issue of health care for Native Americans. The central question asked is if Native Americans should receive health care supported by the United States, and if so to what extent it should extend. The article begins with informing the reader that President Obama has been looking into this contemporary problem, having realizing that he needs to, "do more to address this issue" then done by previous presidents. Although Native Americans currently receive free health care from the United States, it is questionable how effective the health care system is. Native American's health care is low budgeted, and heavily understaffed and the natives are under constant struggle to receive medical help. Although their health care budget is over 3 billion dollars, "a third (of all Native Americans) are uninsured and a quarter live in poverty". The idea of hundreds of thousands of Native Americans living in poverty is unacceptable. Although it is apparent these people need our help to survive, one may ask why we feel obligated to help the people who we took land from. You don't see many other countrys who put the time and effort into supporting those who they've brutally evacuated from their homeland. A health care specialist commented, "we can make all these adjustments for you guys", alluding to the natives how it is unfair for them to demand Americans to make changes in their health care. To this, a Native American Replied, "Make us pay for health care, then the deal is off. Give us our land back, and we're good." The Native Americans reply to the specialists comment by explaining they will gladly pay for health care when they are given back the land which belongs to them, the United States. While one understands the Native Americans argument, one can not help but to feel selfish and want to keep their land and continue to support the US government for it's what has made up our country and allows us a sense of patriotism. To accept the Native Americans are right would be to give them their land back, ultimately giving up our homeland, the United States of America.

New hopes on health care for American Indians.(National Desk).Pam Belluck.
The New York Times 159.54877 (Dec 2, 2009): pA1(L).
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