Nez accuses NDC of trying to profit from epidemic

WINDOW ROCK

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer have warned people of scam artists trying to profit from the coronavirus pandemic and they’ve placed the Navajo Nation’s own Naat’áani Development Corporation and Molina Healthcare in that category.

“We’ve been cautioning our people about companies attempting to scam the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the actions of the Naat’áani Development Corporation and Molina Healthcare fit that category,” Nez stated in a press release.

The statement was released Saturday evening in response to a press release from NDC accusing the president of “leaving valuable resources on the table” by vetoing legislation which requests the Governor of New Mexico to fast-track the Naat’áanii Development Corporation – Molina Healthcare, Inc. Indian Managed Care Entity. According to NDC, the move would  allow the Nation to gain access to Medicaid dollars to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation. 

The legislation was passed as part of a consent agenda during a special session March 20, meaning it was passed without debate.

   

In the NDC release, Council Delegate Daniel Tso, chair of the Health, Education and Human Services Committee, questioned Nez’s leadership, as well as accusing him of grandstanding at this crucial time, and basically said by his veto he rejected all the assistance the entities were willing to give to Navajo.

“The President fails to grasp that the Navajo Nation and the entire country is in an emergency of the highest level, and we need all the resources necessary to confront this health crisis,” said Tso. “Where is his leadership?”

According to the release, Molina Healthcare had sent Nez a letter stating that it is ready to provide 5,000 testing kits for COVID-19 to Navajo healthcare entities as soon as the governor blesses the partnership. There would also be 240 N95 masks, and 200 first aid kits to be supplied to IHS and 638 facilities, along with a donation over $25,000 to partner with on-the-ground Navajo community organizations and volunteers to identify and safely distribute food and supplies to families living in remote areas. 

“We are also in conversations with suppliers and manufacturers to purchase cleaning supplies, hand sanitizers, medical supplies, gloves and other basic needs that we are hearing is needed on the ground,” stated the Molina letter.

But Nez responded that if NDC and Molina Healthcare have all these tests and medical equipment on hand, there is nothing standing in the way of them distributing them — not even his veto. 

“There is nothing stopping them from donating those items immediately to help Navajo people. Ironically, they are asking to start managing health care services by ransoming medical supplies as its first act,” stated Nez. “The Navajo people would demand that Naat’áani Development Corporation release that equipment immediately, including the 5,000 test kits that they claim to have.”

Nez and Lizer and the Navajo Nation COVID-19 Preparedness Team have been telling the Navajo people to stay home while this pandemic has hit the Navajo Nation hard. As of Friday there were 92 positive COVID-19 cases and two confirmed deaths. They’ve also been working to get supplies to those who have been directly impacted by the coronavirus, such as the hot zone of Chilchinbeto, Arizona.

“We’ve been on the ground helping communities and cautioning the public on a daily basis. Where is Chairman Daniel Tso?” Asked Nez. “He’s nowhere to be found. As the chair of the Navajo Nation’s health committee, the Navajo people have high expectations of him. Right now, he’s not delivering — instead he’s sitting back promoting a smear campaign on our administration during this pandemic.”

Nez pointed out that when the NDC was created by the Navajo Nation Council several years ago, the intent of the corporation was to foster and support the development of diverse businesses on the Navajo Nation, not to provide or manage health care.

“The management of health care for the Navajo people should remain in the hands of health care and medical experts, not in the hands of a board and a questionable CEO with absolutely no expertise in the health care field,” said Nez, referring to NDC Chairman Manley Begay.

Begay had some equally strong words for Nez in the NDC release. “It’s careless thinking and irresponsible leadership to not seek ways to leverage Medicaid funding to combat the novel coronavirus,” he stated. “I do not understand what is wrong with our president.”

Council approved creation of the managed care entity in January, but it is awaiting the governor’s approval.

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