RFK Jr. Praises Tribal Health Success While State Democrats Warn of Medicaid Cuts
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Federal Health Secretary Makes Arizona Tribal Stop Amid Controversy Over Diabetes Claims
PHOENIX — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made his latest stop in Arizona on Wednesday, addressing about 1,400 tribal members and leaders at the annual Tribal Self-Governance Conference at the Gila River Indian Community.
"We're going to make Indian Country healthy again," Kennedy told the gathering in a showroom at Wild Horse Pass resort.
During his second tribal visit to Arizona in the past year, the Trump administration health secretary touted the federal government's health-related accomplishments for Native Americans and emphasized tribal self-governance.
"President Trump supports your right of self-determination more than any previous president," Kennedy said.
As an example of that self-determination, Kennedy singled out the four-year-old River People Health Center on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The tribe manages programs and services previously run by the federal government.
"I met with the staff, and I saw this extraordinary operation that is a model, not just for Indian hospitals, but for every hospital around the country," Kennedy said after visiting the outpatient facility.
Kennedy also announced that HHS was embarking on the largest hiring effort in Indian Health Service history, including retention strategies for high-need roles and locations.
"We are targeting high-need roles and high-need locations," Kennedy explained. "We will recruit physicians, nurses, behavioral health professionals and support staff — and we will retain them."
The Department of Government Efficiency terminated a dozen leases for IHS facilities last year as a costs-saving measure. The secretary also rescinded layoffs for roughly 950 IHS employees.
"As HHS secretary, I do not treat this as a passive responsibility. I make this a priority for my administration," said Kennedy. "I will treat it as a solemn duty and act on it every day."
Kennedy did not take questions after a 17-minute speech.
Democratic State Senator Warns of Major Medicaid Cuts
Democratic Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego spoke at a luncheon right after Kennedy's speech, raising concerns about programs the health secretary did not address.
"I'm sure there are some successes here and there," Gallego said of the HHS work with tribes. "We appreciate that."
Gallego brought up looming cuts to Medicaid, warning they would hurt rural areas home to many Native American communities.
"The major cuts, the major hurts, are about to come because they had to, in their minds, cut Medicaid and cut all these programs to pay for their massive tax cut," Gallego said of the Republican spending plan enacted last year.
Tribal leaders nationwide have warned that President Trump's cuts to Medicaid could decimate health care in rural areas, home to many native american communities.
"You're going to see some hospital systems that are going to end up shutting down or just shutting different services because they're not going to be able to afford anything. They'll either have to go without or drive farther away," said a tribal leader at the conference.
Kennedy Makes Campaign Appearances in Arizona
Kennedy also did some campaigning while in Arizona, headlining a Phoenix fundraiser for former Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely. Feely is the Trump-backed candidate running in the First Congressional District GOP primary.
That district is one of several swing districts around the country that Republicans have to hold in November in order to keep their narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
National Conference Focuses on Tribal Health
The annual Tribal Self-Governance Conference has been gathering Native American leaders for three years running. Kennedy made his speech at Wild Horse Pass, a resort on the Gila River Indian Community.
From the Phoenix metro to the Four Corners, the Cabinet member has taken trips to meet with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Ak-Chin Indian Community and Navajo Nation.
Kennedy touted progress on key issues including food sovereignty, chronic disease and federal dietary guidelines. The Indian Health Service created one that was translated into the Dine language.
"I visited tribal facilities across the country and saw that scale of the need firsthand," Kennedy added. "IHS hospitals are more than three times older than the national average, and that's not acceptable."
According to data gathered by Big Local News at Stanford University's Journalism and Democracy Initiative, the U.S. cancelled 121 IHS contracts totaling more than $8.3 million last year alone.
Sources:
- Kennedy praises Arizona tribe's health-care success, Gallego warns of looming Medicaid cuts | 12news.com | https://www.12news.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/heath-and-human-services-secretary-robert-f-kennedy-jr-praises-arizona-tribes-health-care-success-ruben-gallego-warns-of-looming-medicaid-cuts/75-bfff537a-6d5e-44a2-b2e3-42b8c958fb9c
- RFK Jr. visits Gila River Indian Community to talk MAHA gains in Trump's 1st year | KJZZ | https://www.kjzz.org/indigenous-affairs/2026-04-09/rfk-jr-visits-gila-river-indian-community-to-talk-maha-gains-in-trumps-1st-year