Alaskans’ Health Care Frustrations

What DC’s Reading

• CBS News – “Healthcare.gov Ducked Security Checks Before Launch”
• The Hill – “NSA Chief to Lose Cyber-spying Power”
• Wall Street Journal – “I Lost My Doctor, Too”

U.S. Senate Events

Alaskan Problems with Healthcare.gov

Alaskan Impact: Enroll Alaska, the insurance brokerage firm set up to help Alaskans navigate health care law registration, has been able to enroll only three people during the month of October – a far cry from the 4,000 they had expected. Raising more concerns in Alaska? The fact that navigators weren’t given simple background checks. This morning, an official responsible for overseeing the enrollment process appeared before the Senate HELP Committee and Senator Murkowski shared Alaskans’ concerns.

6:00 AKDT

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Hearing

Topic: “The Online Federal Health Insurance Marketplace: Enrollment Challenges and the Path Forward.”

Testimony From:

• Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

(click image for excerpt. Click here for entire exchange.)

Murkowski to Tavenner: So many Alaskan problems, who is on the hook?

Watch the entire meeting online: help.senate.gov

Smaller Budgets, Bigger Wildfire Risk?

Alaskan Impact: Although winter should be upon us and fire risks low, the Mississippi Fire near Delta Junction sparked up again last week. The U.S. Forest Service has seen its costs of fighting wildfires on national forest lands jump from 13% of its annual budget to 41% since 1991. Lawmakers have criticized the Forest Service for failing to actively manage the nation’s forests and reduce the chance for wildfires to burn out of control by adequately investing in hazardous fuels reductions and conducting sustainable timber harvests.

10:30am AKDT

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Hearing

Topic: “Shortchanging Our Forests: How Tight Budgets and Management Decisions Can Increase the Risk of Wildfire.”

Testimony from:

• Forest Service Deputy Chief Jim Hubbard
• Davey Pitcher, President and CEO Wolf Creek Ski Area, Pagosa Creek, CO
• Dr. Chris Topik, The Nature Conservancy
• Tom Troxel, Executive Director, Intermountain Forest Association, Rapid City, SD

Watch the entire meeting online: agriculture.senate.gov

U.S. House Events

House not in session