Cherokee Nation Rejects IPA Agreements — What That Means for Claremore Indian Hospital Employees
CLAREMORE, Okla. (Cherokee 411) — By Cara Cowan Watts
As the Cherokee Nation prepares to take over operations at Claremore Indian Hospital on October 1, 2025, more than 400 employees face a difficult truth: their jobs may be lost — and no Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) agreements will be offered to ease the transition.
This decision breaks from what many had hoped would be a collaborative path forward — one that protects healthcare continuity and respects years of service by IHS employees. Instead, staff are being asked to reapply for their positions under Cherokee Nation Health Services — with no guarantee of retaining their federal benefits, pay, or retirement protections.
The result? Deep concern across the facility, rising public scrutiny, and calls for clarity.
Support Sessions Announced for Claremore Hospital Staff
In response to growing questions from staff, an internal email obtained by Cherokee 411 outlines new support efforts for employees facing uncertainty after Cherokee Nation’s decision not to offer IPA agreements.
The message, sent on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, reads:
Good morning,
I appreciate all those who came to talk and ask questions. We really want to be here to support you all.Tomorrow, we will hold a Learning Session from 11 – 1. This will be open for individuals to come and go who have questions and discuss general plans moving forward. The session will provide updates on HR’s new timeline in response to Cherokee Nation’s decision not to offer IPAs. I apologize for the late notice, but so many great questions have been presented that we want to share those Q&As with all staff.
We have updated our survey to include specifics on what information you would like to discuss:
We are working on an FAQ and appreciate all the questions coming to us in this link. If you have completed this form previously, please take a look and review the new questions. You can complete this as needed if you have a new question to submit.
The HR Office will be holding an Open House Monday June 16 – Wednesday June 18 in the Skills Building. The hours will vary to try to match the schedules of everyone in the facility.
We are here to support you and help answer any questions; we hope to see you tomorrow and next week.
Ms. Alora Wood will be sending the meeting invite shortly.
Thanks,
Kristin
What’s at Stake Without IPA Agreements?
Without IPA agreements, IHS employees face:
Loss of job protections and benefits
Forced reapplication under tribal HR
Disruption to patient-provider continuity
Economic instability
Potential decline in service quality as experienced staff depart
IPA agreements are often used in tribal transitions to protect employees and stabilize operations. Cherokee Nation’s decision to reject this route has intensified concern over transparency, planning, and leadership accountability.
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