Health4all : Legislative Health Caucus Report

Health4all

Every year more Alaskan families lose health insurance and can't afford health care. Every year more families with health insurance cannot afford to use it because of expensive out-of-pocket charges. Every year more Alaskan elders with Medicare are refused treatment by local physicians. And every year health care in Alaska continues to cost 30 percent more than down south. These problems are a reflection of the crisis across the nation. Not surprisingly, the United States ranks last in preventable deaths compared to 14 Western European nations. We have a lot to talk about.

Lawrence D. Weiss retired from UAA in 2004 as a research professor in public health. He designed and built the Master of Public Health program at UAA, and has published three books and numerous articles on public health and health policy issues. He completed a post-doctoral degree at Harvard School of Public Health in 1982, and has been in Alaska ever since. His favorite expression is "facts matter." Occasionally he can be found in a local pub drinking beer and eating pizza while engaged in passionate conversation with friends.

Legislative Health Caucus Report

Posted by health4all

Posted: January 16, 2009 - 10:15 am

On December 3rd, 2008, the Alaska Legislative Joint Health Caucus released its first annual report on the State of Alaska's Health and Well-Being. This report contains summaries of the nine health care forums held during 2008, addressing a wide range of health care issues--including maximizing access through technology, the rising number of the uninsured, domestic violence, and a crisis in senior care.

The Alaska Joint Legislative Health Caucus was formed in 2004 to provide a summary of statewide information on current health issues to legislators, their staff, and interested Alaskans. For a full copy of the report, Power Point presentations of the forums, or more information, visit the website: www.akhealthcaucus.org .

Posted by K.L., ACPP Project Coordinator