A review of health care reform in the United States and in Alaska

Objectives. To review the status of health care reform in the U.S. in general and in Alaska in particular. Study design. This paper reviews the literature concerning health care reform in the U.S. and in Alaska. Methods. N/A. Results. N/A. Conclusions. The United States spends more per capita on health care than any other OECD country, yet its health outcomes such as life expectancy and infant mortality lag behind other countries. Health care reform has been a major activity of the federal government and of some states for the past several years. The 3 goals of optimizing cost, access and quality, at both the national level and at the Alaska state level, are discussed. Some of the major policy changes at the national level, including payment system reform, enhanced insurance regulation and increased attention to prevention, are discussed. The unique health care reform challenges in circumpolar Alaska are highlighted and the status of current state level reform initiatives is reviewed. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2010; 69(5):424-436)