Alaska Health Insurance
How healthy is living in Alaska?
Alaska is ranked as the 30th healthiest state to live in according to a 2007 study by the UnitedHealth Foundation. That's up one position from 2006.
Some of the areas where Alaska ranks highest are in per capita spending on public health (2nd in the nation) and a very low rate of cardiovascular deaths (3rd). Alaska makes it into the top ten in three other categories: 8th in number of children in poverty and preventable hospitalizations; 9th in number of cancer deaths.
On the negative side, Alaska is in the bottom 10 of all states in several other measurements: 40th in number of incoming nonth graders who make it through to their high school graduations; 45th in percentage of smokers and in violent crime; 47th in both occupational deaths and availabilty of quality prenatal care; and 48th in immunizations of kids 19 and under.
When compared to the year before, violent crime appears to be on the increase, but the rate of obesity has fallen (in 2007 the percentage of obese Alaskans dropped more than a full point, down to 26.2). That was enough to raise Alaska's ranking on obesity from 42 up to 33. Obesity is an epidemic across the country -- in 1990 Alaska was also 42nd but only 13.4 percent of citizens were considered obese.
See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Alaska.
Does Alaska have a risk pool for the uninsurable?
Alaska Comprehensive Health Insurance Association
Toll-free 1-888-290-0616
Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state-to-state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the poolto keep it in the black. In the best cases they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Find more on risk pools here.
Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Alaska
Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
- Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in Alaska.
- Its guide on how to find health insurance in Alaska.
- Materiales En Español -- Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.
Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Alaska
Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations contribute to funding its research. Find more on the Health Policy Institute.
News headlines on Alaska health insurance
Find the most recent headlines on health insurance in Alaska at Google News or Yahoo News.
Want single-payer health care? Concerned about the uninsured?
Contact your elected officials about health care issues
Contact your federal officials. Phone calls are best. Faxes are good, too. Since 9-11 postal mail creates long delays, and many members of Congress simply do not take e-mail seriously -- however, since e-mail is so easy it doesn't hurt to do that, too. Members of the Senate and Congress will usually ignore any correspondence that is not from their district, so its not desirable to blanket e-mail them (this type of abuse is why many do not view it favorably). The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a guide on how to contact your elected officials, including a valuable list of dos and dont's.
- Contact the White House
Phone: toll free 1-800-671-7887 (ask for the Comment Line)
FAX: 1 202-456-2461 (fax)
E-mail:comments@whitehouse.gov
- Find contact information on your U.S. Representative
Locate by using your ZIP Code
Or if you know who your representative is, simply call the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 1-800-962-3524
- Senator Lisa Murkowski
PHONE: 202-224-6665 (DC office)
FAX: 202-224-5301 (DC office)
Local numbers
Contact by E-mail
- Senator Ted Stevens
PHONE: 202-224-3004 (DC office)
FAX: 202-224-2354 (DC office)
Local numbers
Contact by E-mail
- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Offices and phone numbers
Contact by e-mail
- Contact your Alaska State Senator
- Contact your Alaska State Representative
USNews health insurance rankings for Alaska
US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Alaska.
Official State Goverment Sites with Alaska Health Insurance Information
Alaska Department of Insurance-- (scroll down for health insurance information).
Denali KidCare -- Denali KidCare is a State of Alaska program designed to ensure that children and teens of both working and non-working families can get health insurance.
State of Alaska Health Care Services -- part of the department of Health and Social Services.
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