Alaska Health Policy Review

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authoritative, comprehensive, nonpartisan

October 25, 2009 • 12:05 pm 0

Winter Public Health Emergency in Anchorage?

I sent this out to some of my colleagues a couple of weeks ago…

Colleagues:

I would like to share my concerns with you about the possible public health consequences if we do have serious gas shortages this winter, and especially if it is a prolonged very cold winter and there are periods and/or areas where the gas is restricted entirely, or the price of gas skyrockets.

  • people tighten up air leaks in the home, and use alternative heating sources such as kerosene or briquettes.  This results in carbon monoxide poisonings.  What are we doing to prevent that?
  • home fires are likely to increase due to inappropriate use of alternative heating sources such as open flames from various sources. What are we doing?
  • For a variety of reasons more and sicker people are managing their health conditions at home.  Do we know who and where they are?  Do we have the ability to evacuate them?  Do we have alternate places, warm and well-stocked and equiped, to evacuate them to? Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Alaska, Of interest

October 24, 2009 • 5:23 am 0

Analysis of Health Reform Bills Highlights Similarities, Differences, Impacts, and Costs

A Commonwealth Fund report just published analyzes the similarities, differences, potential impacts, and costs of the three comprehensive health reform bills passed by key U.S. congressional committees. As explained in the report and an online slide presentation narrated by Karen Davis, Fund president and report coauthor, the Senate and House bills all include provisions that seek to expand and improve health care coverage by building on the strongest aspects of our current private–public insurance system and reorganizing and regulating the individual and small-group insurance markets.

In addition to the report and slide presentation, you can also view interactive tables that provide side-by-side comparisons of the system reform and insurance coverage provisions in the three bills. As health reform legislation evolves, be sure to visit www.commonwealthfund.org for updates to the report and companion resources.

Filed under: General

October 24, 2009 • 4:43 am 0

Important Legislative Committee Meetings Re Health Policy

HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEES

FINANCE

Oct 27 Tuesday Anchorage 9:00 AM

Subcommittee Meeting

Location: UAA Campus, Library Building, Room #307

Overview and working session of HB 50 –

LIMIT OVERTIME FOR REGISTERED NURSES

– Teleconference –

– Testimony <Invitation Only> –

– Public Testimony If Time Permits –

Nov 04 Wednesday Anch Lio Rm 220 9:00 AM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

Nov 03 Tuesday Anch Lio Conf Rm 1:00 PM

– Rescheduled from 09/17/09 –

– Teleconference 1 to 5 pm –

+ CMS Moratorium Review

Department of Health and Social Services

Public Testimony Will Also Be Taken

Filed under: Legislature related

October 21, 2009 • 9:40 am 1

Putting It In Perspective: The High Cost of Health Disparities

Steven Woolf, David Satcher, and others estimated that from 1991 to 2000, medical advances averted 176,000 deaths, but equalizing mortality rates between whites and African-Americans would have averted 886,202 deaths. Am J Pul Hlt 2004;94:2078.

The most enlightening new account is Doug Massey’s on the history of how and why the US failed to temper the sharp inequalities and poverty that capitalism brings, while other countries did. European Socio Review 2009:25:9-23. Try http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/GSSW/schram/masseyglobal.pdf.

The term, “health disparities,” pushes clear thinking about inequality, racism, and discrimination into a vague soup. It’s a term we should stop using, like “wellness” which also depoliticizes and beclouds illness, injury and their harsh consequences by focusing on an upper middle class professional view of subjective well-being.

[Source: communique from Donald W. Light]

Filed under: General

October 20, 2009 • 9:38 am 0

Personal Responsibility vs. Health Reform

Today is soapbox day. I am compelled to stand on the digital soapbox and talk about “personal responsibility.” Among legislators, administrators, commentators, and policy wonks, when the conversation turns to problems in our health care system and the need for health reform, suddenly the conversation is inundated with exhortations of “personal responsibility.” It sounds something like this, “If people would stop smoking, eat less, drink less, get off the couch and exercise more, then they would be healthier and the cost of health care would go down.” Who can argue with that? The implication is this: if people get sick and need health care, it is probably their own fault because they did not take “personal responsibility.” The problem is not in the system, it is in individuals.

Yes and no. In fact, I would say mostly no. Here is an analogy. Someone is driving around town and they accidentally crash their car into a light post.  Why did they crash? One could argue that they failed to take “personal responsibility” for safe driving. Blame assigned. Problem solved. No need to look further. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: General, Of interest

October 19, 2009 • 7:57 pm 0

State Denying Some Disabled Veterans Their Legal Prescription Medicine Benefits

State Denying Some Disabled Veterans Their Legal Prescription Medicine Benefits

Legislators, Advocates Propose Fix

ANCHORAGE – Today three legislators, along with veterans advocates, presented a solution to a frustrating problem for military veterans living at Alaska’s Pioneer Homes. Currently Alaska’s Pioneer Homes do not allow some disabled veterans to receive the free prescription medicine benefits they are entitled to under federal law. Under federal law, disabled veterans are entitled to free prescription medicine if they have received a 51 percent or higher disability rating. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: General, Insurance related, Of interest

October 19, 2009 • 7:52 pm 0

Alert on “physician fix” bill in Senate

Here is an important message from my colleagues at AARP… ~ldw

Please contact Senator Lisa Murkowski and ask her to support Senate Bill 1776.

As you may recall, for the past seven years physicians who see Medicare beneficiaries have faced proposed reductions in their payments each January. Seven times in the last seven years, Congress has passed legislation to override the proposed cuts. This has been a frustrating annual experience for Alaska’s physicians as well as Medicare beneficiaries, those over age 65 as well as younger people with disabilities who are on the Medicare program.

In January, 2010 physicians face an unprecedented 21.5% cut in their Medicare payments with additional cuts in future years. A bill was introduced on Wednesday evening, S.1776, which would repeal this proposed cut as well as the other proposed cuts for the next 10 years. It is expected that the US Senate could vote on this next week, possibly as early as Tuesday. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: General, Legislature related, Of interest

October 9, 2009 • 5:07 am 0

Two Important Meetings

HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

Nov 03 Tuesday Anch Lio Conf Rm 1:00 PM

Rescheduled from 09/17/09

Teleconference 1 to 5 pm

+ CMS Moratorium Review

Department of Health and Social Services

Public Testimony Will Also Be Taken

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JOINT LEGISLATIVE HEALTH CAUCUS

Oct 21 Wednesday Anch Lio Rm 220 12:00 PM

+ Stimulating Health:

The impact of federal spending in Alaska on Alaskans’ health

Filed under: General

October 6, 2009 • 4:06 pm 0

Health Care Dialogue this Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1 pm

We have room for 10 more participants in the health care dialogue described below. Please contact Bill Hall ASAP if you are interested.

INVITATION TO A HEALTH CARE DIALOGUE

You are invited to participate in a health care dialogue using the National Issues Forum issue book: “Coping with the Cost Of Health Care: How Do We Pay for What We Need?” The event will take place on Saturday, October 10 in room 130 at the Carlton Trust Building located at 2221 East Northern Lights Blvd. beginning at 1 pm and ending at 4 pm.

This dialogue is provided by the Dialogue Alaska program of Alaska Common Ground with support from the UAF Cooperative Extension Service. It will be facilitated by Bill Hall and Katy Parrish.

Participation will be limited to 20 individuals. If more are interested we will convene additional events in the future. You can reserve your space in the circle and request a copy of the issue book by responding to this email or contacting Bill Hall at 786-6345 or emailing arlothall.

Bill Hall

Alaska Common Ground

(907) 748-3216

Anchorage, Alaska

Filed under: Alaska

October 6, 2009 • 3:54 pm 0

Next Alaska Health Care Commission Meeting: November 6 – 7

The next face-to-face meeting of the Alaska Health Care Commission has been set for Friday, November 6 – Saturday, November 7. It will be held in Anchorage at the Frontier Building (3601 C Street). A teleconference number will be provided for those outside of Anchorage, and an agenda will be available in approximately two weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Alaska

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