Alaska Health Care Commission

Federal Health Care Reform

On March 23, 2010 President Obama signed into law an expansive new federal health care policy for the United States - the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  Two additional laws amending PPACA, the Reconciliation Act and the TRICARE Affirmation Act, have been enacted in the short time since the initial bill was signed.  These new federal laws will dramatically change the structure within which state health systems operate, and State governments will play a significant role in implementation. 

During their first year (2009) the Alaska Health Care Commission tracked the work at the federal level on the development of proposals for a comprehensive national health care reform strategy.  With the subsequent passage of PPACA the Commission will be involved in tracking and understanding how the new federal laws are being implemented in Alaska and the impact on Alaska’s health care industry.

Information on federal health care reform is currently available on the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services website – Understanding the New Federal Health Care Laws.