Dear Neighbors,

        We’re off and running in Juneau.  Not running away.  Just running, generally with purpose, and only sometimes in circles.

We Want You!  Foster Care Mentorship Program
Finally Up & Rocking

        Today, well, We Want You!  Feeling any guilt yet?  Or maybe even hope that you can change a child’s life with just a little effort?

        As many of you know, our office has worked hard to start a foster care mentorship program – and as of last week it’s up and running.  As a former foster child (my father was killed when I was 6), I want Alaska’s 2000 foster youth to have the same chances I had.

        Grant funding we placed in last year’s budget has been awarded to Big Brothers Big Sisters and Covenant House to partner in this effort.  Here’s what we need, and how YOU CAN HELP. 

        The program will need adults who want to mentor a foster child coming out of foster care, from ages 16 to 21.  These are youth who are about to have no responsible adult link in their lives.  Youth who might just want to have lunch or see a movie with someone they can rely on and trust.  Someone who might work with them to get their GED, or help them stay in college.  Want to help?  Have questions?  You can always call me.  But it’s better that you call the grantee, Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Call Danielle Pittner at 433-4600.  Here’s a link to our recent press release on the issue.

Oil Tax Hyperbole: Scaring Developers Away With Rhetoric?

        Today Alaska invests – through investment credits and deductions – more on North Slope capital expenditures (wells, equipment) than private industry does.  Bet you didn’t know that.  And with all the noise, you probably didn’t know we reduce the taxes of oil companies that prove, with facts and not PR, they need a tax reduction to make a new field economic to produce.  That’s not to say we don’t have a lot of work to figure out how to stem the decline in oil production in Alaska.  But impediments to development include the Army Corps of Engineers’ refusal to allow us to develop in the National Petroleum Reserve, not a tax system that provides greater incentives than your Governor and the major oil companies let on.

        This week Senator Hollis French and I asked the Governor to cool down the rhetoric.  Telling the world our taxes are too high is the same as telling them to stay away.  It just deters investment.  We asked that the Governor meet with independent explorers and tell them the untold story.  That we’ll reduce their taxes if they prove they need a tax break.  That our deductions and tax credits exceed 50% of the cost of new capital expenditures, making Alaska the largest investor in new capital equipment and efforts in the state.  We can either advertise the state in a way to attract new investment, or use rhetoric that will scare new investors away.  Senator French and I think the former makes more sense.  Here’s a link to the press release we sent out this week, with our letter to the Governor.   And here’s a good APRN story on this issue.

Seniors Deserve a Doctor Who Takes Medicare: A State Solution

        Many of Alaska’s seniors are facing a major problem.  Doctors accepting new Medicare patients are in short supply, and the problem is most acute in the Anchorage bowl area.   A recent report by the Institute of Social and Economic Research found that only 17% of primary care physicians in Anchorage are accepting new Medicare patients.  The reason for this is purely economic – doctors lose money on Medicare patient office visits (the prime billing code primary care doctors use) because the federal reimbursement rates are so low. 

        Our office spent over a year working with Congress to change the law last year – and we succeeded with lots of coordination and help from Senator Begich.

        The state can now help solve the Medicare crisis in Alaska.  For years the federal government would allow no additional payments to doctors to supplement the low Medicare rates.  US Senator Mark Begich successfully added a provision to last year’s Affordable Health Care Act that allows states to provide grants to primary care medical providers who see large numbers of senior patients.  Speaking of older Alaskans, I had a birthday last week.  But that’s not why we’re working on this issue.

Rep. Gara celebrated his birthday with colleagues, friends and a triple-berry chocolate pie.

        Senator Hollis French and I have introduced legislation that establishes a grant fund to provide supplemental payments to primary care medical providers who are serving Alaska’s seniors.  Hopefully, the state support will provide enough incentive that doctors will be able to see older Alaskans who have paid into the Medicare system all their lives, and deserve medical care.  Attached is a newsletter we wrote on the subject last year.  We didn’t get the Governor’s attention then, and could use your help to convince him that letting this problem languish isn’t good policy.

        That’s all for now.  As always, call, write or email if we can help with anything.

Best Regards,