Health Care
Ensuring the Well-Being of Alaska's Families

I have long supported legislation that increases access to health care, decreases medical costs, promotes healthy lifestyles and provides essential funding for medical research. I am dedicated to reaching sensible solutions for both uninsured Americans and small businesses that often are harmed and even put out of business by the soaring costs of health care and government regulations.

I believe in producing results instead of promises. Here are just a few of the things which I have been working on as your Representative in Congress.

Medicare Physician Reimbursement Rates
I worked with Senators Stevens and Murkowski to secure an increase in Medicare physician payments to augment the reimbursement rates for our doctors. Medicare is not paying doctors in Alaska enough to cover the real costs of providing health care in our state. This chronic problem is ruining what should be the golden years for our senior citizens. It saddens and pains me to hear my fellow Alaskans recount stories of how they were turned away from doctors when they were in need of care. This is not the treatment our elders deserve and it is certainly not something which Congress can afford to ignore.

Our payment fix has now expired and there are even more cuts scheduled to take place next year for Medicare reimbursement rates. This is unacceptable. Our seniors are already having enough trouble finding doctors willing to accept current funding levels for Medicare; the last thing we need is more doctors who can't afford to accept patients. Be assured that we will once again find a solution to this problem. I will continue to ensure your voice is heard, and I will fight for your rights and for all of Alaska.

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
Congress has recently considered and voted for legislation to reauthorize and increase funding levels and state grant distributions for SCHIP. I support these measures to ensure that, as originally intended, low income children continue to receive medical coverage and not childless adults and illegal immigrants.

Bills Passed by the House and Voted For

H.R. 493 - Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
This bill prohibits discrimination by group health plans and health insurance issuers on the basis of genetic information and sets forth penalties for violations.

H.R. 545 - Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to clarify that Indian tribes and territories are eligible to receive grants for confronting the use of methamphetamine.

Bills Cosponsored

H.Con.Res. 125
This resolution recognizes the health benefits of seafood consumption. Encourages eating seafood as part of a balanced diet at least twice a week to help lower the risk of heart disease and obesity. Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Seafood Month.

H.R. 477 - Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to strengthen education, prevention, and treatment programs relating to stroke.

H.R. 636 - Health Care Freedom of Choice Act
This bill improves health care choice by providing for the tax deductibility of medical expenses by individuals.

H.R. 687 - Keeping Families Together Act
This bill establishes a State family support grant program to end the practice of parents giving legal custody of their seriously emotionally disturbed children to State agencies for the purpose of obtaining mental health services for those children.

H.R. 1076 - HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act
This bill promotes health care coverage parity for individuals participating in legal recreational activities or legal transportation activities.

H.R. 1093 - Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act
This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase the Medicare caps on the total number of full-time equivalent residents in the field of allopathic or osteopathic medicine (graduate medical education (GME) positions) for states with a shortage of residents.

H.R. 1424 - Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act
This bill requires equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans.

H.R.3195 - ADA Restoration Act
This bill restores the intent and protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act