Watchdog: Lack of Oversight Plagues Health Care Services for Native Americans

A government report recently released tied the poor health outcomes of Native Americans to a lack of consistent management at federal hospitals tasked with caring for indigenous people in the US.

According to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Indian Health Service (IHS) has practiced only "limited and inconsistent" oversight of its network of hospitals. The lack of health care standards, the watchdog reported, is a contributing factor to the shorter life expectancy of many Native American populations.