Word on Washington
by Rep. Mike Mclntyre
It was a classic case of bureaucratic
red tape gone awry-a threat not
only to the survival of Lumbenon
Family Medical Center, but also to
the health of rural America. 1 was
faced with a situation that was about
to jeopardize the future of Earl Cummings
and the vital care he provides
to so many local families! I knew
what had to be done. Fighting for a
local medical center would mean victory
not only for him and for us in
Robeson County, but also for rural
health clinics across America!
Knowing this. I arranged a meeting
with Medicare.offtcials and asked
them how they proposed to resolve
this situation that was endangering
access to care in rural communities.
Without a doubt, the law was on the
side of Mr. Cummings and other physician
assistants like him who own
rural clinics. By confronting this
matter head-on, we were able to break
through the bureacratic red tape
threatening the health of rural residents
everywhere.
Since opening its doors to the public
in 1989, Lumberton Family
Medical Center has provided important
services to the residents of
Robeson County. Like other rural
health clinics, this medical center has
striven to improve access to quality ,
cost-effective care in a rural community.
The success of the rural health
clinic program, is illustrated by the
fact there are approximately 3,500 of
these important facilities located
across the country all of which arc
critical to bringing care to rural,
underserved communities
Until this year. I umbcrton Family
Medical Center has been reimbursed
for basic lab sen ices for Medicare
patients. However, as of January I.
2001. Medicare would no longer pa>
for these sen ices.at the clinic because
it refused to recognize physician assistants
as the owners of rural health
clinics. In fact. Mr.. Cummings had
been clearly recognized as the coowner
of Lumberton Family Medical
Centerwith Dr. Ben Hardin for more
than a decade by Medicare Yet. the
bureaucracy w ithin the Medicare program
was not responsible for
hindering the delivery of care in Robeson
County and other rural
communities due to a regulatory error
on its part By resolving this situation.
vvewereabletoallay acrisisthat
imperiled access to rural health
services nationwide
This meant good news not only for
Mr. Cummings and the resident of
Robeson County but also for all individuals
living in rural communities.
By defending access to services at
rural health clinics owned by physician
assistants, we have protected the
interests and well being of all of rural
America. As Co-Chairman of the
Rural Health Care Coalition. 1 will
continue to do all I can to give voice
to the health care concerns and needs
of rural residents everywhere. Mr.
Cummings' victory has become a
national victory!
by Alta Nye Oxendine ^
BLACKFEET MEMORIES
(Continued)
CHIEF BI LL
Another special memor> is that ol'Chief Bull, whose other name was Richard
"Dick" Sanderville. (One grandfather had been a Spanish fur trader.) He
was the oldest chief at the time, and (1 was told) was the political head of the
tribe, even though each "society" had its own chief or chieftain and there w as
a tribal council Dick had attended Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania,
and had met a number of U. S. presidents. He was called the "world's authority
on Indian sign language" and was also able to do picture writing, to illustrate
tribal members' manes, for example.
One day he shared with me the Creation Story his grandmother had told him
when he was a child (1 am so sorry I did not write it down. About all I can
remember now is that there was a very important river in the story, perhaps the
origin of this world.)
Dick also taught me a brief segment of Indian sign language, which children
like my son Donny have enjoy ed learning during the interv ening years since I
left Montana. AND. at the Montana Methodist Church's Annual Conference
in Livingston in June. 1950, "Chief Bull" unofficially "took me into" The
Blackfeet tribe, giving me the name of Pocahontas mother, he said. It sounded
to me like "Princess Cross Shy."
(Even after living all these years near Pocahontas' homeland, now Virginia,
I have never managed to leam much more about this Indian woman and her
name.)
IF ANYONE KNOWS HER NAME. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH
ME. THROUGH THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE! Thank you!!!
It was Annie Sanderville. Dick's wife, who lent me one of her buckskin
dresses to wear at that Annual Conference session. "My" hot buckskin clothing
matched that of both Dick and Annie Sanderville. To my surprise, I was
called to the front while wearing "my" thick Blackfeet outfit. (Others had
something special in mind when 1 was told to wear that traditional Blackfeet
dress.) Dick (Chief Bull) a lay delegate to the conference, also came up, and
soon began a ritual to take me into the Blackfeet tribe. Afterward he promised
to make and present me with a muskrat shin "plaque" bearing my new Indian
name. But he died the next winter before getting it made. (A disappointment
to me.)
Although the "preacher" was away when 80-something Dick died. Mrs.
Smith. Bemice Jackson, and I were in the hospital room with him and his wife
when he requested that we sing his favorite hymn, "He Leadeth me", an appropriate
hymn to remind us that we have someone to guide us out of this
earthly life.
,
Shortly after coming to Pembroke five years later, 1 was attending Old Prospect
church when "Mr. Johnnie" Bullard asked the congregation to sing that
same song "How much we all have in common in various places across this
country," I thought, as 1 stood to sing. In fact, even now when I sing that song
I automatically think of both Dick Sanderville and "Mr. Johnnie" Bullard!
Although 1 never mastered the art of Blackfeet beadwork, it was Annie
Sanderville who showed me that two threaded needles were used to string the
tiny beads on one thread, and tack them down (every so often with the other. I
still treasure the few pieces of Blackfeet beadwork left after my young children
enjoyed play ing with them. (Perhaps it's no wonder that Donny thought
I was the REAL Indian" of the family, since 1 was the parent with some genuine
beadwork. who also knew a little Indian sign language).
One other thing I would have loved to take with me when I left the reservation
to do graduate study in rural work, was a pair of beautiful Blackfeet moccasins.
But, no my beginner's salary, there was no way I could buy anything nonessential.
And. by the time the Blackfeet women had turned their moccasins
over to the white operators of the tourist "store" at the interesting, historical
Plains Museum located at Browning, those same moccasins were WAY too
expensive for anyone but a "wellheeled" visitor to buy.
As a girl who grew up in the Rockies, I still enjoy picturing in my mind the
simple, yet stately, MOUNTAIN design the Blackfeet women used for nearly
all their beadwork!
Why we're doctors
for the Locklears.
Thomas Locklear:
"I can get my annual physical.
They have dermatology services to treat
a ny skin, prdbleti i. Tliey do their own .
X-rays and lab work. And they accept A
allkittdsofinsuratKe." 1
Matthew Locklear:
"I can get all my forms
filled out for baseball."
Grandma Locklear:
"1 can make sure my
diabetes stays in check-and i
keep my allergies from m
slowing me down/'^^M
Zoe Locklear:
"I can get my yearly exam. Plus, the kids
can see Hie same doctor. 1 can get nutritional
information for the whole family."
Elizabeth Locklear:
i "1 can go to the fitness center
L with my mom."
Grandpa Locklear:
"I can keep my cholesterol
^ and blood pressure
L under control."
If there's one thing the Locklears believe in, it's getting
the proper health care. If there's one thing they don't
believe in, if s driving all over the place to do it.
That's the reason they come to a FirstHealth Family
Care Center. And maybe it's the reason you should bring
your family here, too.
We're the place to go for all your family's health care,
from the youngest to the oldest. In many cases our family
practice physicians can even perform procedures you'd
normally have to see another specialist for, such
as dermatology or women's services. And we're
backed up by the entire FirstHealth network of hospitals,
specialists and other health care professionals.
So the next time you need health care for your
family, make an appointment at a FirstHealth Family
Care Center near you.
FsrstHealth
FAMILY CARE CENTERS
www.firsthealth.org
For an appointment at the FirstHealth Family Cafe Center in Pembroke, call521-6029.
' / *' .
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