Trahant Reports - Better Indian Health Funding

Commissioner for Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services, makes the case for Medicaid Expansion. Alaska and Montana are nearing decision points about expansion, a program that would add millions of dollars to the Indian health system.

Valerie Davidson, Commissioner for Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services, makes the case for Medicaid Expansion.

Two states with large native populations, Montana and Alaska, continue to explore Medicaid expansion.

In Alaska the case for expansion is being made by Valerie Davidson, who’s Yupik, a longtime Native health advocate, and the former chair of a Medicare & Medicaid committee. In other words: She knows the process cold.

In Montana, the legislature has passed the legislation and Medicaid expansion will likely become law. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that one-third of IHS patients are uninsured and the cost to IHS for that care was at least $2.1 billion in 2013.