Flandreau tribe: Feds owe hundreds of thousands for health care reimbursements

Tribe argues it's shortchanged after providing care to tribal members

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is renewing its claim that the federal government is not paying for the health care costs incurred by the tribe in a new lawsuit filed in federal court.

The tribe argues the government owes it hundreds of thousands of dollars from one year alone – 2016 – because the government has not adequately reimbursed for “contract support costs” related to health care.

Rather than rely on Indian Health Service to provide direct care to its members, the Flandreau Sioux have a contract with IHS to provide health services to its members. Avera Health operates a hospital there and the tribe also has its own clinic. It operates under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA).

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