Access Alaska: Keep you eye on this one Archives

Co-Payments Soar for Drugs With High Prices

From the New York Times: Health insurance companies are rapidly adopting a new pricing system for very expensive drugs, asking patients to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for prescriptions for medications that may save their lives or slow the progress of serious diseases... The system means that the burden of expensive health care can now affect insured people, too. Pay here.

Health Insurer To Be Charged With Teen's Murder

The family of a California teenager who died awaiting a liver transplant say they will sue the insurer who they blame for their daughter's death.

Nataline Sarkisyan, a 17-year-old from Glendale, Calif., died Thursday just a few hours after her insurer, CIGNA HealthCare, approved a procedure it had previously described as "too experimental."

Bill Introduced to Increase Access to Community-Based Services

On March 7, 2007, Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced the Community Choices Act (S. 799) which would give individuals who are eligible for nursing home services or other institutional care equal access to community-based services and supports. The bill would provide an increase in federal funds to help states develop their long-term care infrastructure and to enhance their ability to provide home and community-based services. The bill would also create a demonstration project to evaluate service coordination and cost sharing approaches for those eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. For more information, visit: thomas.loc.gov.

The bill does not appear to be online yet.

Anchorage attorney battles drug giant

From the Anchorage Daily News

Anchorage lawyer Jim Gottstein has emerged as a player in a national controversy over the psychiatric medication Zyprexa, which is Eli Lilly's best-selling drug.

An advocate against forced medication in the treatment of mental illness, Gottstein obtained documents about the drug that had been sealed in Outside lawsuits against Eli Lilly and provided them to a New York Times reporter. According to the Times, the records showed a decade-long effort to downplay the drug's health risks in order to protect sales.

Alaska Medicaid report offers recommendations for cost savings

Tribal health care reform may be a key to controlling the mounting costs of Alaska's Medicaid program, according to a report commissioned by the Alaska Legislature.
The report, penned by the Pacific Health Policy Group and presented to House and Senate committees on Tuesday, offers recommendations that its authors say could save the state between $80 million to a $100 million a year while improving health care services to Alaska Natives and others.

State explores Medicaid changes to hold down costs

"A report commissioned by the Legislature has warned the state that the health care costs for Alaska’s neediest populations will continue to rise significantly during the next 10 years unless reforms are adopted to the Medicaid system. "

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From the Anchorage Daily News

Access Alaska

Opening Doors to Independence