Rep. Ivy Spohnholz said the department didn’t provide enough information to Chief Procurement Officer Jason Soza for him to be able to adequately review the contract, which would pay Wellpath $225 million over five years.
Andrew Kitchenman
State Government Reporter, Alaska Public Media & KTOO
State government plays an outsized role in the life of Alaskans. As the state continues to go through the painful process of deciding what its priorities are, I bring Alaskans to the scene of a government in transition.
Alaska aims to be first state receiving federal Medicaid funding as a block grant
This means the state would receive a fixed amount of federal money instead of the open-ended commitment under the current approach. It would limit the amount of Medicaid funds coming to Alaska, but allow the state more flexibility in how it operates the program.
Lawmakers amend budget to stop reimbursing municipalities for school bond debt
The vote brings the House budget back into agreement with Gov. Mike Dunleavy on the issue. If the amendment makes it into the final budget, it would shift roughly $100 million in spending from the state to municipalities.
Bill would extend moratorium on state reimbursing municipalities for school bonds
The state has been reimbursing municipalities for most bond debt for school bonds issued before the moratorium. It doesn’t have a legal obligation to do that. Local voters are told when they approve bonds that the state’s share is subject to the annual state budget process.
Lawsuit seeks to eliminate Medicaid application backlog
The Alaska Division of Public Assistance director says the backlog has been shrinking recently, including a large decrease in the past month.
Most Dunleavy budget cuts face legal, political obstacles
With most of the budget, if the Legislature decides to fund more than what the governor wants, he can use his line-item veto to remove the money. But not in the case of the school funds.
Alaska state senators say PFD formula could be changed
Splitting the draw from permanent fund earnings between government and dividends would make dividends more predictable.
Alaska House subcommittees propose much smaller cuts than those in Dunleavy’s budget
The House Finance subcommittees have proposed a total of $47 million in reductions to state agencies from the current budget. Dunleavy proposed $794 million in cuts to state agencies.
Alaska lawmakers weigh becoming only state to not fund medical education
Sixty-one percent of Alaska medical students who graduate from the WWAMI program return to Alaska. That’s higher than the national average of graduates who stay in state, but it’s lower than what Alaska leaders would like to see.
Juneau testifiers rail against budget cuts in first ‘road show’ stop
Roughly 70 Alaskans testified against Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed budget cuts Friday night in Juneau. No one testified in favor of the range of budget cuts the governor proposed.