U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today issued the following statement after the Army
Corps of Engineers issued a decision that will allow Coeur Alaska, Inc. to
proceed with the Kensington Mine project near Juneau.
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U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today announced Army Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Johnson has been selected to serve as a Military Fellow in Begich’s Washington, D.C. office during the calendar year 2010. With an extensive background in operations and Department of Defense research, LTC Johnson has top notch leadership skills and anti-terrorism experience.
Washington D.C. — U.S. Sens. Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski today announced that two high school students — Haley Nelson of Juneau and Anum Qadir of Anchorage — have been selected as delegates to the 48th Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) to be held March 6-13, 2010, in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced she has nominated 43 young Alaskans for appointment to the U.S. military service academies for the class of 2014.
December 30, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – The State of Alaska has filed strong objections to the Department of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service’s designation of a huge swath of area as critical habitat for polar bears.
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today announced two community health centers in Alaska will receive nearly $6 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The money is part of a nationwide distribution of $600 million to support major construction and renovation projects at 85 community health centers and to also assist networks of health centers in adopting Electronic Health Records and other Health Information Technology systems.
In the continual effort to make health care and health insurance more affordable and accessible for Alaskans and other Americans, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today joined a group of eleven freshmen Democrats introducing a package of amendments to the health care bill designed to lower costs and increase innovation.
Anchorage, AK – Jason Cline filed a complaint to the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) regarding the Alaska Democratic Party’s attempts to covertly create web pages designed to attack elected Republican officials.
December 7, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell announced today that the state will extend the Glacier Highway in Juneau to better provide safe access to the Cascade Point area and public lands north of the capital city. The current 2.9-mile road from Echo Cove to Cascade Point is only 20 feet wide, does not have a drivable surface and has not been open to the public.
(ANCHORAGE) – The House Special Committee on Energy will meet on Friday, December 11th at the Anchorage LIO for two important pieces of energy legislation. Drafts of the House Energy Omnibus Bill and the State Energy Policy Bill will be released and public testimony will be taken.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced a settlement of the long-running and highly contentious Cobell class-action lawsuit regarding the U.S. government’s trust management and accounting of over three hundred thousand individual American Indian trust accounts. Also speaking at the press conference today were Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes and Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli.
Anchorage, Alaska – The Department of Law has issued for public comment proposed new regulations under the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.
Responding to a troubling report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Sen. Mark Begich is calling on Secretary of Veterans Affairs Erik Shinseki to immediately address reported deficiencies at the VA Regional Office in Anchorage.
December 23, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell has directed the Alaska Marine Highway System to schedule additional ferry runs between Homer and Dutch Harbor in May 2010 and 2011.
December 21, 2009
Happy Holidays
As Alaskans celebrate the shortest day of the year today and the slow return of daylight, we are seeing light at the end of our health reform tunnel in Washington, D.C. As you know, we’ve been working day and night on moving this historic legislation forward. There truly are many items in the bill that will make health care and health insurance more accessible and more affordable for Alaskans and all Americans. I hope you will pay attention to the details as we move ahead. I am
proudly supporting a bill that I believe will save lives, save money, and save Medicare. Because this legislation is so historic, I am committing this entire newsletter to outlining some of the benefits you will see. There are many, and you can go to my website for more detail.
I also want to take a moment to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I wish you a safe and happy holiday with friends and family, and may 2010 bring peace, good health and happiness to all.
Sincerely,
Senator Mark Begich
Health Reform: Immediate Benefits for Alaska Families and Small Business
Ending Insurance Company Discrimination – In 2010, the bill provides affordable insurance choices for people who have been denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, and who have been uninsured for six months. The provision begins immediately for those who would otherwise not have coverage until the new health insurance marketplaces, or exchanges, are up and running.
Stopping Harmful Insurance Company Practices – Beginning in 2010, the bill makes it illegal for insurers to drop coverage when people get sick. Within six months of passage, the bill also will bar insurance companies from limiting total benefits Americans can use over their lifetimes or unreasonably restricting annual benefits.
Guaranteeing Family Coverage up to Age 26 – Within six months of enactment, the Senate reform bill requires insurance plans that cover dependents to provide benefits to children up to age 26.
Ensuring Seniors Have Access to Doctors – In 2010, Congress will work on a permanent fix to reimbursements for Medicare providers. By 2011, primary care practitioners in Medicare will get a 10 percent bonus. The bill also extends a Medicare program helping small rural hospitals provide vital services to their communities
Providing Small Business Tax Credits – Tax credits will be offered to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable. Credits of up to 50 percent of premiums will be available to firms offering coverage. Small businesses with 50 or fewer workers would be exempt from employer responsibility provisions.
Video: Health Reform in Alaska
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueuHwx2DKjU
On Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009, Sen. Begich delivered a speech outlining what the proposed health reform bill would mean for Alaska.
Begich Proposals Added to Health Reform Bill
Key provisions drafted or co-sponsored by Sen. Begich focus on increasing the health care workforce; addressing Alaska’s Medicare problem; supporting hospitals and expanding health clinics; enhancing coverage options and affordability for small businesses; improving access to care for military veterans and Alaska Natives; and containing costs within the health delivery system. Specifics include:
More providers – A Begich amendment will increase loan repayments from $35,000 to $50,000 annually for National Health Service Corps provider across the country. The program serves Health Professional Shortage Areas, including 77 in Alaska. This and other provisions are expected to attract more than 24,000 new primary care providers to the workforce.
Hospitals – Another Begich amendment reauthorizes a Medicare project supporting hospitals in smaller communities and rural states. This allows facilities in Soldotna, Juneau and Sitka to offer needed services and treat more patients in their own communities.
Indian Health Service – The bill reauthorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act for the first time in 21 years – a major accomplishment pushed for by Begich and eight other senators. It also protects Alaska Natives from penalties for not acquiring insurance and expands coverage to other public programs.
Health Reform by the Numbers: Alaskans to See Many Benefits
Alaska families, businesses, seniors and individuals will see multiple benefits in the health reform legislation currently being discussed in Congress. Lost in much of the partisan debate and hype have been many of the significant improvements that will make health care more affordable and accessible for Alaskans.
Expanding health care coverage – Most of an estimated 133,000 Alaskans who do not currently have insurance, and 27,000 residents who now buy expensive individual premiums, could get affordable new coverage, through the new health insurance exchange and other provisions.
Providing affordability through tax relief – More than 52,000 Alaskans could qualify for tax credits to help them purchase health coverage. In Alaska, credits are available for single people earning up to $54,144 and for a family of four earning up to $110,304.
Covering more children – Under reform, enrollment in Alaska’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (under Denali KidCare) will nearly double to more than 15,000.
Ending the “hidden tax” on families – About $119 million is spent on uncompensated care in Alaska and passed on to insured families through a hidden tax averaging $1,900 per year. By expanding coverage to the uninsured, reform will help eliminate this burden.
Reducing prescription drug spending – About 10,600 Alaskans hit the “doughnut hole” in Medicare drug coverage, which can cost some seniors more than $4,000 per year. Reform will provide a 50 percent discount for brand-name drugs in this coverage gap.
Covering free preventive services – Currently seniors in Medicare pay part of the cost of preventive services. A seniors’ share of a colonoscopy can cost nearly $200 – a price that can be prohibitive for those on fixed budgets. Under reform, a senior will not pay anything for that service or for regular checkups or other preventive services.