Increasing the Supply of Healthcare for Native Americans

Abstract

One of the most effective ways to improve Native American health outcomes is to increase the supply of healthcare. In both the IHS and the wider sector of healthcare, policymakers could relax the policies that limit the supply of healthcare services, which would allow innovators to find new and imaginative ways to improve people’s health. A more innovative, productive path forward for the IHS necessitates an acceptance of experimentation and competition. For example, the supply of healthcare could be increased through telemedicine and removal of barriers to willing healthcare providers.

Keywords: healthcare, Native Americans, property rights, Indian Health Service, institutional reform, economic policy

JEL Classification: I15, I18