'Taxpayer-Funded Drum Circles': Biden-Era Policy Gives Native American Shamans Medicaid Dollars To Treat California Drug Addicts With Rituals, Dances
California's Medicaid program is funding Native American shamans to perform traditional rituals for drug and alcohol addiction treatment. The initiative, supported by Governor Gavin Newsom and the Biden administration, has raised concerns about the effectiveness and oversight of these alternative therapies. Critics argue that the lack of regulation could lead to fraud and question the scientific validity of the treatments provided.
- ▪The federal Medicaid program is reimbursing Native American shamans $826 a day for performing rituals to treat addiction.
- ▪California has enrolled 21 Indian Health Care Providers in this program, which emphasizes 'indigenous knowledge' for healing.
- ▪Studies have shown little evidence of effectiveness for these treatments, with some participants reporting increased alcohol consumption after rituals.
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California 'Taxpayer-Funded Drum Circles': Biden-Era Policy Gives Native American Shamans Medicaid Dollars To Treat California Drug Addicts With Rituals, Dances 'Indigenous Knowledge' pseudoscience continues to thrive in Gov. Gavin Newsom's California Indigenous group dances in L.A. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images) Andrew Kerr June 5, 2026 image/svg+xml .st0{fill:none;stroke:#384f61;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st1{fill:none;stroke:#384f61;stroke-width:2;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} The federal government's Medicaid program is paying Native American shamans in California $826 a day to perform ancient rituals such as drum circles and spiritual dances to treat drug and alcohol addicts.
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