Health
RSSHealth in Alaska is the state's public health system, healthcare delivery and the policies that shape them. It includes Medicaid and Medicare programs, tribal health corporations, rural and behavioral health care, and disease prevention across Alaska communities.
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Week of May 18
Alaska nursing home costs hit $364K/year, highest in U.S.
Alaska nursing home costs hit $364,453 per year, highest in U.S., as senior population doubles • Seniors face housing crisis: 8.4 percent live below poverty, 2,707 homeless in 2025 • Alzheimer's cases projected to rise 24 percent by 2030, unpaid caregiving valued at $887 million • Seniors lost $8.17 million to fraud in 2024, mostly tech support scams
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
IHS proposes $93M sanitation cut as Alaska Native villages face sanitation gaps
Indian Health Service proposes cutting sanitation funding by 93 million dollars in Alaska Native villages that still use honey buckets. • Over 2,000 water and sanitation projects remain unfunded across Indian Country. • Senator Murkowski challenged the cut, saying sanitation prevents illness. • Congress rejected similar cuts last year and plans to fight again.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min read
Alaska House concurs on health care and telehealth bill
Alaska House approved telehealth bill requiring insurers to pay same rates for remote visits as in-person care. • Bill removes geographic limits on telehealth use statewide. • Repeal of two state medical assistance programs included. • Measure now goes to governor.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska deploys $272M federal award to reshape rural health care delivery
Alaska got 272 million dollars to fix rural health care through hiring, technology, and access. • 1,800 groups applied in round one across five health focus areas. • Money must be spent by September 2027 with strict cost limits. • Year two applications open late summer 2026.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Legislature proclaims May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month
Alaska Legislature unanimously proclaimed May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month to highlight a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle inflammation and weakness.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska Senate rejects healthcare compact bill in 11-9 vote
Alaska Senate rejected a bill allowing out-of-state healthcare providers to practice through interstate compacts, voting 11-9 against it. Opponents worried providers would lack experience with Indigenous populations and Alaska's specific healthcare needs.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska Senate rejects health care licensing compact bill
Alaska Senate rejected a health care licensing bill that would have let out-of-state providers practice in Alaska, voting 9-11 on concerns they lack Alaska-specific training and knowledge of Indigenous communities.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
Alaska Legislature passes physician associate, pharmacist bill
Alaska Legislature passed a bill renaming physician assistants to physician associates and expanding pharmacist services like opioid overdose drug prescriptions without doctor referrals.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
More from Health
Alaska Senate adds telehealth parity and disability coverage to benefits bill
Alaska Senate added telehealth pay parity to a welfare bill, requiring insurers to pay the same rate for remote care as in-person visits. • Disability benefits for injured troopers and firefighters increased from 40 percent to 75 percent of salary, with health insurance restored. • The amendments passed 19-1 and now return to the House for final approval.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Senate passes bill letting pharmacists treat minor illnesses without a doctor's call
Alaska Senate passed bill letting pharmacists treat strep throat, bladder infections, and manage diabetes without doctor approval first. • Pharmacists cannot prescribe opioids or high-risk drugs but can give naloxone. • Rural areas and emergencies benefit most, with pharmacist visits costing $277 less than clinic visits.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska House raises unemployment benefits, expands telehealth coverage
Alaska House raised maximum weekly unemployment benefits from $370 to $470, first increase since 2009. • Expanded telehealth coverage and raised disability pay for firefighters and police from 40 percent to 75 percent. • Updated insurance laws to clarify rebates and ban misleading advertising.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska House passes five healthcare licensure compacts in single bill
Alaska House unanimously approved five healthcare licensure compacts for physicians, physician assistants, EMS personnel, psychologists, and social workers to help the state compete for federal rural health funding.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
House advances complex care homes for behavioral health patients
Alaska House unanimously approved HB 73 to create new residential homes for people with behavioral health conditions like schizophrenia. • New license category takes effect July 1, 2027, giving the Department of Health time to set service standards and payment rates. • Bill addresses people who cannot access existing group homes or assisted living facilities.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska targets 18-25 age group as substance use escalates after 25
Alaska launched the Next Move campaign May 20 targeting ages 18 to 25, when state data shows substance use escalates, offering mental health resources and coping strategies at NextMove.alaska.gov.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska Launches Mobile Benefits App in State With Spotty Rural Internet
Alaska launched a mobile app May 20 for residents to apply for eight public assistance programs including Medicaid and SNAP, though paper and phone options remain available for those without reliable internet access.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska EMS agencies can now check pediatric readiness with new online tool
Alaska EMS and fire-rescue agencies can now use a free online tool at EMSpedsReady.org to assess how ready they are to handle pediatric emergencies and identify gaps in their preparedness.
by Alaska News5mo ago2 min read
Coming up
Motivational Interviewing for Brief Intervention in Behavioral Health Settings (Session 2)
Virtual
Class
Beyond Blame: Empowering Families in Eating Disorder Treatment with Dr. Jim Lock
Class
Rural Health Transformation Advisory Council Meeting
Meeting
Alaska Commission on Aging Listening Session - Ketchikan
Meeting
Hinge Health 101: Digital Physical Therapy for Pain Relief
Class
About Health
Health in Alaska takes in the state's public health system, its hospitals and clinics, and the programs that pay for care, including Medicaid and Medicare. Tribal health organizations such as Southcentral Foundation deliver care alongside hospitals including the Alaska Native Medical Center, Central Peninsula Hospital and Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.
State epidemiologists track infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, whooping cough, influenza and COVID-19, and recommend vaccines to clinicians. Access to care in rural Alaska is a recurring question: villages without a permanent practice rely on visiting dental and primary care clinics, and federal rural health grants pay for facilities and equipment.
Behavioral health and substance use treatment form another strand, from opioid settlement grants to warnings about overdose. Health also connects to state and federal policy through Medicaid eligibility rules and the cost of health coverage for public workers.
More from Health
Alaska House passes tobacco age increase, vape tax, cigar lounge exemption
Alaska House passed bill raising tobacco and vape purchase age from 19 to 21, matching federal law. • New statewide tax on vaping products will fund smoking education programs. • Bill includes exemption for premium cigar lounges meeting strict requirements. • Penalties for underage possession lowered to $100 with no court appearance required.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago4 min read
Alaska Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Home Care Agencies to Fund Workers
Alaska Legislature passed House Bill 96 on May 18, requiring home care agencies to allocate funding to Personal Care Assistants, with the Senate voting 19 to 1. The bill now goes to Governor Dunleavy.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Federal program offers Alaska SUD workers up to $250,000 in loan repayment
Federal program offers Alaska substance use disorder workers up to $250,000 in student loan repayment for a six-year service commitment, with applications due June 23.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min readAlaska House Passes Baby Box Bill 35-5
Alaska House passed SB 9 on May 19 with a 35-to-5 vote, authorizing baby boxes at hospitals and fire stations where parents can anonymously surrender infants 21 days or younger without legal penalty.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min readSeven Anchorage patients develop rare heart infection from gonorrhea
Seven Anchorage patients developed a rare, life-threatening heart infection from gonorrhea between December 2024 and March 2026, and one died.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska House debates youth vaping penalties amid justice concerns
Alaska House debated whether to remove a $100 civil fine for minors caught with vaping products, with opponents citing research that justice system involvement harms youth outcomes.
by Walter AlaskaNews5mo ago2 min read
Alaska deploys $272M rural health program through regional meetings
Alaska is holding regional planning meetings to decide how to spend a $272 million federal rural health program, with sessions scheduled in Mat-Su Valley on June 4 and Anchorage on Sept. 22.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago3 min readWeek of May 11
Alaska Senate committee hears nurse staffing bill amid safety concerns
Alaska Senate committee heard testimony on a bill requiring hospitals to set minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, with nurses reporting unsafe conditions and citing Oregon's successful 2023 law.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska budget fight leaves $40M in senior, disability care hanging
A six-member legislative committee decides by May 20 whether to fund $40 million in senior and disability care that the House backs but the Senate opposes.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readAlaska pauses behavioral health grant overhaul after provider pushback
Alaska paused a behavioral health grant overhaul for two years after providers said they weren't ready, keeping current addiction and mental health funding in place through 2028.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAlaska launches new online system to report elder abuse, harm
Alaska launched a new online system to report elder abuse and harm to vulnerable adults, consolidating multiple forms into one portal. The old system stops working May 22, 2026.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAlaska opens second round of rural health webinars for $272M program
Alaska is hosting webinars May 13 through 15 to plan how to spend $272 million in federal rural health funding, the second-highest amount awarded to any state.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min readWeek of May 4
Alaska bill would penalize state for late payments to contractors
Alaska bill would charge the state 10.5 percent interest on late payments to nonprofits, municipalities, and tribal organizations, extending a rule that has applied to private contractors since 1990.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Recent High School Graduate Appointed to Alaska State Medical Board
A 19-year-old high school graduate with no medical background was appointed to Alaska's State Medical Board, which licenses physicians.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
19-year-old homeschool graduate appointed to State Medical Board
Alaska Senate committee questioned 19-year-old Hannah Milkey's qualifications to serve on the State Medical Board, noting she has no medical training, CPR certification, or investigative experience.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Week of Apr 27
House committee advances insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover expensive treatments for PANDAS and PANS, pediatric brain disorders triggered by infections.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House Finance hears respiratory therapist licensing bill, Alaska's last-state gap
Alaska is the only U.S. state without licensing for respiratory therapists, and HB 362 would fix that gap by establishing a state licensing program with fees covering all costs.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House panel advances dental insurance transparency bill
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring dental insurers to disclose what percentage of premiums pay for actual care, letting consumers compare plans.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Week of Apr 20
House panel hears confirmation for physician assistant to State Medical Board
House committee heard confirmation testimony from physician assistant Norman Walker for the State Medical Board. • UAA proposed a $30 million academic medical center to expand residency training for Alaska's growing medical school.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readFrom 
Senate panel adopts changes to health care compact bill
Alaska Senate panel approved changes to join four interstate medical licensing compacts aimed at recruiting rural health providers, adding background check requirements for medical professionals.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readFrom 
Senate Education Committee Advances Opioid Awareness Bill, Hears Tribal School Compact Proposal
Senate Education Committee advanced a bill requiring opioid prevention curriculum in grades 6-12. • Committee heard first presentation on allowing tribes to operate public schools through state-tribal compacts, with second hearing scheduled Monday.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
House panel fast-tracks insurance coverage for PANDAS treatment
Alaska House committee advanced a bill requiring insurers to cover PANDAS treatment after families testified they paid tens of thousands out of pocket when coverage was denied.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Alaska Advances Mental Health Education Guidelines Without Mandates
The House Finance Committee advanced a bill to create voluntary mental health guidelines for schools to address Alaska high youth suicide rates.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min readHouse Finance Advances Mental Health Education Guidelines for Schools
House Finance advanced a bill requiring schools to develop mental health education guidelines, as Alaska faces the nation's highest youth suicide rate.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
