Bill > HJR32

This Joint Resolution expresses the Alaska State Legislature's strong support for the federally funded rural health transformation program, which recently awarded Alaska over $272 million in its first year—the highest per capita funding in the nation—to address the state's severe and unique rural healthcare challenges. The measure establishes six core statewide priorities for the funds: improving maternal and child health, expanding remote and rural healthcare access, promoting preventive community wellness, pursuing sustainable health care financing, recruiting and retaining a skilled medical workforce, and modernizing technology such as telehealth infrastructure. To ensure these resources are used effectively, the resolution calls for careful planning and urges the Governor to seek clear federal guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (a federal agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that administers Medicare and Medicaid), provide regular legislative updates, and identify any barriers to success. Additionally, it directs Alaska's congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., to advocate for maximum operational flexibility and protect the state's full funding allocation against any cuts, signaling a bipartisan commitment to transforming Alaska's healthcare system.