Palin Announces Health Priorities

Determined to fix Alaskans health care needs, Governor Sarah Palin announced her priorities today. The lack of affordable health care in Alaska is leaving thousands without the medical care they need. There is an estimated 45,000 uninsured people here in Anchorage.

With that staggering amount needing care they can't afford, the cost of your health care will be affected. “When people don't have a health care home, they do go to the emergency room and it does cost the community an

enormous amount of money,” said Jon Zasada, of the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center.

One of Alaska's largest primary health care centers, the Anchorage neighborhood health center serves more than 12,000 patients per year with over half living right at the poverty level or below.

“We serve folks that other than the emergency room, don't have other options to getting medical care in the community,” said Zasada.

Determined to fix Alaskans health care needs, Governor Sarah Palin announced her priorities today.

Along with creating a health care commission, Palin wants a plan in providing early screening and diagnosis of autism and other disorders, a wide web campaign called Live Well Alaska to

promote healthier eating and exercise, and an increase with the income eligibility guidelines for Denali Kid Care to 200 percent of Alaska's federal poverty level.

“In building a plan to meet the healthcare and education challenges here in Alaska,” said Palin. “The plumb line we keep in mind the principle that government is not solely the answer.”

On the plan also includes an investment to boost the state's tobacco and obesity prevention programs.

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Governor is also asking Alaskans to be pro-active when it comes to finding affordable healthcare solutions as the costs of covering those who are not insured impacts everyone.

“There are a lot of uninsured people know who delay care until they are really sick and then they go to the emergency room and it costs the entire community,” said Zasada.

“We have a large proportion of our population very different than other states, that are not offered health insurance,” said Virgene Hanna, of the Institute of Social and Economic Research, who has studied the growing numbers of uninsured in Alaska.

“If there was a silver bullet to finding and meeting the challenges in these areas,” said Palin. “Other states too wouldn't be facing the same challenges that Alaska is facing.”

Palin says these priorities are not the only answer. “Each of us must take personal responsibility for our level of health, those things we can control and not look at government to make us healthy.”

All of these initiatives are to address the quality, accessibility, and affordability of health care in Alaska.

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