Alaska Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Alaska?

Alaska is ranked as the 34th healthiest state to live in, according to the 2009 study by the United Health Foundation.

The good news:

• The rate of the percentage of the state's children in poverty climbed by 1.1 percent in the past year, but at 9.6 percent, it was still the third-lowest rate in the nation.
• The average amount public health funding ($175)for residents was the third-highest in the nation.
• The incidence of infectious disease has fallen by 84 percent since 1990.

The bad news:

• The state's rate for occupational fatalities – 13 deaths per 100,000 workers – is the worst in the nation.
• Alaska's rating on prenatal care is the third-worst in the nation.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

• Children (under 18) in poverty – 3rd
• Public health funding – 3rd
• Cardiovascular deaths – 5th
• Air pollution – 5th
• High school graduation – 43rd (66.5 percent of ninth graders eventually graduate)
• Violent crime offenses – 44th
• Lack of health insurance – 46th
• Geographic disparity – 48th
• Prenatal care – 48th
• Occupational fatalities – 50th

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

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Alaska will offer health coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Alaska's participation, click here.

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 pool to 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. Read more about 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 and all other states.
• 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 help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for Alaska.

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).

• How to file a complaint.

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.

• Adult dental care services
• Chronic and Acute Medical Assistance (CAMA)
• Medicaid