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.


Less expensive health care

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Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center

Anchorage Project Access

Community Health Resources List

Health policy links

Kaiser Family Foundation

Families USA

Physicians for a National Health Program

Universal Health Care Action Network

About me

Larry Weiss

Photographer

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.

Archive

Health Reform: Free Public Forum - 11/25/2008 2:07 pm

Physicians for a National Health Program Statement - 11/21/2008 2:30 pm

New Alliance to Reverse Harmful Provisions of 2003 Medicare Law - 11/15/2008 5:07 pm

Learn About Access to Health Care in Alaska - 11/13/2008 11:13 am

How Medicare Has Fared Under the Bush Administration - 11/9/2008 5:43 pm

What AK Legislators Think About Health Care Issues - 11/4/2008 2:01 pm

Letter From a Friend - 11/1/2008 1:16 pm

Health Reform is Springing Up Everywhere! - 11/1/2008 1:06 pm

Bail Out Medicare For the Rest of Us - 10/29/2008 11:01 am

Learn About Medicare; Get Free Vaccinations - 10/16/2008 9:48 am

Presidential Candidates' Health Reform Proposals: Key Differences - 10/13/2008 4:41 pm

Women and the Individual Health Insurance Market - 10/8/2008 8:55 pm

Ethan Berkowitz v. Don Young; Mark Begich v. Ted Stevens - 10/3/2008 4:04 pm

Cost of Alaska Health Insurance Policies Increases Six Times Faster Than Wages - 10/1/2008 4:58 pm

Your Questions Answered: Presidential Candidates on Key health Issues - 9/29/2008 5:37 pm

High-Deductible Health Insurance: Buyer Beware - 9/26/2008 3:32 pm

The Obama Health Plan: Summary and Comments - 9/23/2008 5:41 pm

Health Coverage for Children in Sarah Palin's Alaska - 9/19/2008 4:21 pm

McCain's Health Plan Unlikely to Help Families Get Health Care - 9/13/2008 7:03 am

Barack Obama's Plan for Health Care Reform - 9/9/2008 5:59 pm

John McCain's Plan for Health Care Reform. - 9/6/2008 7:44 am

Why We Need Fundamental Health Care Reform #4 - 9/3/2008 12:15 pm

full archive »

16 States Try Major Health Reform

Posted by health4all

Posted: June 12, 2008 - 3:48 pm

Health care access reform, and health care financing reform are breaking out across the United States! Alaska will have to scramble to catch up. Three states, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont, are implementing health reform plans that seek universal coverage of state residents. An additional 13 states have announced comprehensive reform proposals or have established commissions to develop recommendations about how to expand coverage. Here are some examples:

  • In October 2007, Illinois became the first state to provide free mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams, and Pap tests to all uninsured women.
  • On May 13, 2008, the Governor of Iowa signed HF 2539, which calls for comprehensive health care reform. The legislation lays out a plan for covering every uninsured child in the state by 2011. It also sets the goal of universal health care coverage for all Iowa residents by 2013.

The governor of Minnesota just signed comprehensive health reform legislation which includes the following components:

  • Expands MinnesotaCare (a jointly funded, federal-state program that provides subsidized health coverage to eligible Minnesotans) eligibility for childless adults to 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
  • Reduces the sliding scale premiums for MinnesotaCare.
  • Requires employers with 11 or more full-time employees who do not offer insurance to establish a plan, and provides funding to help them do so.
  • Promotes the use of health care homes to coordinate care for people with chronic conditions.
  • Increases transparency of the price and quality of health care services.
  • Reforms public and private payment incentives.
  • Improves health information technology, including electronic medical records and e-prescriptions.

Alaska...not really much to write about in this regard. Maybe we can do better in the next legislative session.

source: Kaiser Family foundation States Moving Toward Health Care Reform


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