Video Clips
Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.
Clips from Alaska Department of HealthClear
0:38
Heidi Hedberg
“We received almost 1,800 letters of interest that represent about $2.5 billion in requests.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:07
Heidi Hedberg
“The estimated time is at 3 o'clock. If it doesn't open up exactly at 3 o'clock, it's okay. It's gonna open up today.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:58
Heidi Hedberg
“we are creating this program as we are all learning from each other, and this is the timeline that is before us. I do want to reiterate, though, of the 403 proposals, um, there, the funding request exceeds the available funding.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:23
Heidi Hedberg
“there will be funding available for new projects in year 2, but there's also gonna be funding for projects carrying on from year 1 to year 2. We don't know what those percentages are going to be because this is live action as we are creating this with all of you in real time.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:49
Heidi Hedberg
“the needs far exceed the available funding. When we looked at all of the LOIs, what we saw were some common themes. Around behavioral health, access to specialty care, needs around facility and equipment upgrades, chronic disease management as we're really looking at improving our health outcomes, traditional healing, and a lot around workforce. Those were some of the top common themes from the letters of interest. As we reviewed all of those letters of interest, About 400 were advanced to the full application process.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:37
Speaker C
“this slide Describes the performance period for this funding cycle, which is the Spring 2026 Rural Health Transformation Program funding cycle. So the performance periods throughout the life of the program determine when you can carry out project activities and when you can spend those awarded funds.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:52
Heidi Hedberg
“of those 400, the needs exceed the available funding. And so it's really, I wanna reiterate to all of you that this is a competitive grant”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:27
Speaker C
“we also anticipate having a fall cycle. So, I would say the next funding opportunity under the Rural Health Transformation, we're anticipating launching this in the fall. Those performance periods would likely begin January 1st, 2027.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:50
Speaker C
“for the first performance period, implementation projects will have an 11-month performance period running from August 1st of this year through June 30th of 2027. In future years, we anticipate that those performance periods would be 12-month performance periods. We're just all on a bit of a shorter timeline this first round, given the program buildup and given the shorter budget period that, that the state and CMS are working under here as well.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:38
Heidi Hedberg
“It's going to close 9:00 AM on June 22nd. Between June 22nd to mid-July, we are going to go through the review process and decisions will be— notifications on funding decisions. Our goal is late July. Our goal is that funding and program work starts August 1st. So you can see this compressed timeline that we are under.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026
0:51
Heidi Hedberg
“$272 million is year 1. We are prioritizing, um, the, the funding towards the request through this LOI process. There are some state activities, but it's very small and very limited. Again, all of the work that we are doing is focused on the transformation of the healthcare system, improving health outcomes across our 3 goals that represents 6 different initiatives. The year 2 cycle— and Betsy, I want you to correct me if I'm wrong— some of the year 1 will have continuing funding needs because it's a multi-year application.”Alaska Dept. of Health: Implementation Application Walkthrough Webinar (June 1, 2026) · Jun 2, 2026