Latest news with #Alaskans'
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Map Shows Which States Spend the Most and Least on Health Insurance
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As health insurance premiums continue to climb across the country, a new report from WalletHub highlights which states are shouldering the heaviest burdens—and which are paying relatively little. Why It Matters The analysis compared the average monthly cost of a silver health insurance plan to the median monthly household income in each of the 50 states. Silver plans are known for offering moderate deductibles and relatively low premiums, making them a common choice among Americans. However, the share of income dedicated to these plans varies significantly by state, according to WalletHub's report, from a high of nearly 20 percent to as little as 4 percent. What To Know Vermont tops the list as the state where residents spend the highest percentage of their income on health insurance. The average monthly premium for a silver plan in Vermont is $1,275—the highest in the nation. Even though Vermont's median household income ranks 19th nationally at $78,024, that premium represents nearly 20 percent of the average monthly income, WalletHub said. West Virginia follows close behind. With a median household income of $57,917—the second lowest in the country—and an average monthly premium of $908, residents spend nearly 19 percent of their income on health insurance. Alaska ranks third, with residents devoting about 14 percent of their monthly income to premiums. Alaska has the second-highest average premium in the country at $1,040, and although its median income of $89,336 is the 12th highest nationwide, this "doesn't do much to alleviate Alaskans' struggles," WalletHub said. By contrast, states like New Hampshire offer a stark comparison. Residents there spend just 4 percent of their income on health insurance. This places New Hampshire at the bottom of the list in terms of spending burden, despite its proximity to Vermont. What People Are Saying WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report: "Inflation has driven up health insurance premiums significantly in recent years, making it harder and harder for Americans to afford proper health care. Being without insurance is even more dangerous, though, as medical debt is one of the most common reasons people file for bankruptcy. "People in certain states feel the pressure of high premiums more than others, as they can cost as much as 20 percent of the median income in some states and as little as four percent in others." What Happens Next Newsweek has previously mapped which states have the best—and worst—health care systems, according to a report by the Commonwealth Fund.
28-06-2025
- Business
Roadless Rule repeal will help economically struggling Alaskan communities: senators
The Roadless Rule has never fit Alaska, so I welcome this effort to rescind it, Murkowski (R-Alaska) said in a statement on Tuesday. The Roadless Rule was set up in 2001 during the administration of then-President Bill Clinton. The initiative put strict limits on road construction and logging in designated wilderness areas across the U.S., including the Tongass National Forest, which covers nearly 17 million acres in southeast Alaska. The rule's restrictions have long been a point of tension for Alaskans with some arguing that the majority of the Tongass is already protected under other conservation laws, and that further restrictions hinder economic growth for the small rural communities in the forest. Even without the rule in place, nearly 80 percent of the Tongass National Forest will still be explicitly restricted from development, Murkowski said. Repeal will not lead to environmental harm, but it will help open needed opportunities for renewable energy, forestry, mining, tourism, and more in areas that are almost completely under federal control. This is particularly critical for our continued efforts to build a sustainable year-round economy in Southeast Alaska. 'Aligning with Trump Administration's deregulation agenda' The announcement came after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins confirmed the USDA's plan to put aside the nationwide rule. The action is in line with a series of initiatives introduced by the Trump administration aimed at reducing bureaucracy they argue is hindering business and innovation in the country. The first Trump administration granted Alaska an exemption from the rule in 2020, but the Biden administration reversed that in 2023. Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to common sense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restrictive Roadless Rule, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said on Monday. This move opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation's forests. Will be a boost business: senator Alaska's leaders say the repeal will be a big win for the state's small communities and economy as a whole. Since 2001, this rule has hindered Alaskans' ability to responsibly harvest timber, develop minerals, connect communities, or build energy projects at lower costs—including renewable energy projects like hydropower, which are especially critical to economic opportunities in Southeast Alaska surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, Sen. Sullivan (R-Alaska) said. I am grateful that the Trump administration is once again rescinding this rule to put Alaskans back in the driver's seat to make a living, support our families, and connect our communities while protecting our lands and growing our economy. Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at Related stories from around the North: Canada: N.W.T. forests absorb more carbon than territory emits — most of the time (new window) , CBC News Finland: Finnish government buys naturally diverse historical island from forestry giant, (new window) Yle News Norway: World's northernmost coal power plant shuts down (new window) , The Independent Barents Observer Russia: Arctic national park expands, becomes Russia's biggest (new window) , The Independent Barents Observer Sweden: Ancient Swedish forests cut down at fast pac (new window) e, Radio Sweden Eye on the Arctic (new window)
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alaska senators have a chance to protect Medicaid and safeguard vital services for Alaska's youth
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan gives an annual address to the Alaska State Legislature on Mar 20, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon) After Alaska's U.S. Rep. Nick Begich cast a vote to advance a budget reconciliation package that would be catastrophic for Alaska, we are counting on our senators to step up. With a narrow balance of power in the U.S. Senate, if U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan has the courage to work with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, he can help stop this unprecedented attack on health care and core Medicaid services. President Donald Trump and Republicans are trying to cancel Alaskans' Medicaid health coverage to finance tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, and those elitists will succeed if our senators don't fight back. Alaska has one of, if not the highest rates of suicide, child abuse, domestic abuse, and sexual assault in the nation. Many of the victims utilize services that are funded by Medicaid. This may include individualized therapy and family therapy, intensive behavioral support in community and school settings, case management that secures outside resources for families in need such as food stamps, housing, therapeutic foster care placements, and reunification with families or adoption. Without access to these services, Alaska's suicide rates could climb, crime rates could increase, and more children could enter foster care without the supportive treatment they need to navigate their trauma. As a frontline mental and behavioral health worker, I worry for the youth I serve and how lack of available services and strained capacity will impact their growth. I worry that in the future, I may see youth that I have served living on the streets, turn to drugs to cope, or succumb to suicide. This month, Anchorage lost the Crisis Recovery Center that provided emergency care to teens experiencing mental health crises. Can we really afford to lose anything more? Our senators have the chance to ensure the youth of Alaska have a safe and stable future. Based on public statements, U.S. Republican Senators Murkowski, Lisa Collins of Maine, and Josh Hawley of Missouri all oppose cuts to Medicaid. Sullivan could be a deciding vote. Will he vote in lockstep to give Outside billionaires a tax cut financed by stealing Alaskans' health coverage, or will he stand up for his adopted state? The stakes could not be higher.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Large crowd gathers at Anchorage's Park Strip for May Day rally
May 2—More than 500 people descended on Anchorage's Delaney Park Strip on Thursday, bringing together supporters of more than a half-dozen organizing groups focusing on workers' rights and health care, among other issues. The gathering was one of more than a dozen protests and rallies around the state and hundreds more nationally and internationally. Dozens of people raised signs, covering a wide swath of topics including support for Ukraine, federal workers and students. There were signs lambasting Elon Musk, and the Trump administration's recent controversial policies regarding deportation and changes to the military. May Day has evolved into a holiday celebrating labor and is also International Workers' Day. Joelle Hall, president of the Alaska AFL-CIO, said the rally was important as a support system as well as to communicate to elected officials many Alaskans' dissatisfaction with how workers have been treated. "Today, my heart is thinking about federal workers who have lost their right for collective bargaining," she said. "With the stroke of a pen, decades of protections (have disappeared). These are our neighbors who have lost their jobs. And for what? To give a tax benefit to who? This is just insanity." (A federal judge last week temporarily blocked the executive order aiming to end collective bargaining for many federal workers.) Amy Holonics, a retired teacher who came to Alaska working as a park ranger, held a sign that read "Fund Science Not Billionaires." She said the sign referred to recent actions from President Donald Trump's administration that halted research and eroded food and drug safety. She said maintaining a strong federal workforce was important to her. "That's how I came to Alaska in 1985 and I've been here ever since," she said. "I believe in the Park Service, my family has worked for the Park Service 75 years or more. It's a robust organization and when people travel, they go to parks." Other organizing groups for the rally included NEA-Alaska, the 907 Initiative, Alaska Forward, Protect Our Care and Planned Parenthood, among others. [Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR] Education was major point of emphasis for people at the rally, with attendees raising signs advocating for increasing the Base Student Allocation and supporting educators. NEA-Alaska President Tom Klaameyer spoke to the crowd, focusing on how to turn their collective dissatisfaction into action. "People show up, they rally and sometimes that can be kind of an echo chamber," he said. "Unless you take that movement beyond your own personal feelings and thoughts and emotions, and you do something about it — we can come here every day and talk to ourselves, and if that's all we do, it won't make schools better for kids." Suzan Mullane wore a shirt that said "Educate Don't Capitulate Hands off Harvard." Last week, the university sued the Trump administration for threatening to freeze more than $2 billion in grants. Mullane said she was at the rally to show support for continued funding of preschool and to protect higher education. While rally speakers focused on labor, education and health care, there were a number of other focuses from attendees in the crowd. Eagle River's Richard Rearick said that range of protests shows how broadly actions by the Trump administration have impacted Alaskans. "Everybody has been affected one way or another, but really, we're all affected in totality, by what he's doing," Rearick said. "And I think that we need to come together and show our presence, show our objection to what he's doing." Trysten Walker, who held a sign supporting transgender rights, also had concerns about potential misconceptions about autism by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "They're creating a perception that will vilify people that don't really deserve it," Walker said. Robert G. Lopez, a 40-year Anchorage resident, was rallying against cuts made by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, creating uncertainty for services like the Meals on Wheels program. "They're taking food out of the elderly's mouth and taking money from the disadvantaged people," he said. "What happened to (the principle) of Christianity? Jesus would help the poor, feed the starving."
Miami Herald
21-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Sullivan and Begich ramp up fundraising ahead of 2026 elections
Laying the groundwork for 2026 reelection campaigns, U.S. Rep. Nick Begich and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan each reported raising around $800,000 in the first three months of the year, according to campaign finance reports filed recently. Begich reported bringing in more than $824,000. Nearly $272,000 - a full third of his haul - was transferred to his account from political action committees working to maintain the Republican majority in the House, including ones called Defend Our Majority, Grow the Majority and Emmer Majority Builders. No other candidates so far have announced they are running against Begich in next year's election, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified Alaska's lone U.S. House seat as a so-called "district in play" for the 2026 election cycle, signaling Democrats' readiness to fund an effort to unseat Begich. Begich unseated Democratic incumbent Mary Peltola in the November election. Peltola has since joined a lobbying firm, and has not announced any plans to run in 2026. In a statement earlier this month, DCCC chair Suzan DelBene said the committee "is already working to recruit authentic and battle-ready candidates in Alaska who reflect the state and will work to better Alaskans' lives." Begich reported raising more than $227,000 from political action committees, including ones associated with ConocoPhillips, Alaska Airlines and GCI, among others. Most of the individual contributions reported by Begich came from out of state. Paul Smith, a Begich campaign spokesperson, attributed Begich's out-of-state support to his legislative agenda. Begich has taken up national issues in Congress, including with a bill to establish a national bitcoin reserve. Despite focusing his fundraising Outside, "Begich is a champion for Alaska, having already spent time in Ketchikan, Juneau, Kodiak, Anchorage, the Mat-Su, and Fairbanks," Smith wrote. Begich's Alaska supporters include lobbyist Kristopher Knauss; GCI executive Ronald Duncan; Goldbelt Inc. executive Pierre McHugh; Arctic Slope Regional Corp. Chairman Crawford Patkotak; and lobbyist Michael Pawlowski, among others. Sullivan reported nearly $800,000 in receipts this year, of which roughly $540,000 was transferred from or contributed by political action committees. Sullivan's individual contributor list includes a who's-who of executives and billionaires with Alaska interests and investments. His campaign backers include Michael Wirth, chief executive of Chevron; oil geologist Bill Armstrong; multiple ConocoPhillips executives; Santos executive Joe Balash; GCI President Ronald Duncan; Enstar President John Sims; Furie owner John Hendrix; Calista Corp. President Andrew Guy; AT&T executive Jenifer Robertson; and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Chief Executive Natasha Singh, among others. Sullivan also received the maximum allowable contribution from Paul Singer, a hedge fund billionaire who previously flew U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to Alaska on a private jet, according to reporting from ProPublica. Sullivan reported spending $94,000 on campaign-related expenses in the first three months of the year, leaving him with $2,800,000 at the end of the quarter. Sullivan's biggest expense was $27,500 on fundraising consulting. Begich spent around $260,000, leaving him with nearly $670,000 at the end of March. Begich has paid nearly $70,000 to WinRed, a fundraising platform associated with Republican candidates. He spent nearly $54,000 on mailing services, and more than $26,000 on fundraising. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
